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Salient: An organ of student opinion at Victoria University, Wellington. Vol. 23, No. 3. Monday, April 11, 1960

A Westernized Yi-Kwei Sze

A Westernized Yi-Kwei Sze

Yi-Kwei Sze, the Chinese bass-baritone who made such an impression when he was here last in 1953, is back in New Zealand touring for the New Zealand Broadcasting Service.

The first Chinese singer to establish a successful career in Western music, Yi-Kwei Sze now lours America from coast to coast giving recitals in the leading centres and singing with the nation's great symphony orchestras.

Photo of Yi-Kwei Sze

Impressive Successes

Since his visit in 1953 Yi-Kwei Sze has added considerably to an already impressive list of successes. He has appeared with the San Francisco Opera Company in several seasons, and has sung with, amongst others, the Philadelphia, New Orleans, Houston and New York City Operas. He sang the bass lead in the N.B.C. Opera Company's nationally televised production of "The Magic Flute" to mark the 200th anniversary of Mozart's birth. However, despite his success in opera, Yi-Kwei Sze's first love is singing in recitals—when he experiences what he describes as "the purest joy of singing."

Equally at home in oratorio and as orchestral soloist, he has had repeat engagements with the Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago. Minneapolis and other top American symphony orchestras, many of them in world premiere performances. His repertoire now includes sings in six languages, not including his native Chinese.

Shanghai Born

The youngest son of a Shanghai businessman, Yi-Kwe Sze graduated from the National Conservatorium of Music in Shanghai with the highest honours. His career as a concert artist in China was interrupted by the war, but in 1947 he realised his ambition to go to America and in his New York debut in the Town Hall that year the young bass-baritone was highly praised by the metropolitan press. His Carnegie Hall recital two years later set the seal on his success, and established him as one of the most important singers in the United States and Canada.

Rave Review

Said the New York Times recently "His unusually fine German enunciation was only one among the many fine details of his interpretations. His voice was subtly or forcefully coloured to suit his emotion and Schubert's intent. He had a sense of the more sophisticated, perhaps more morbid world of Hugo Wolf. And he projected it with equal strength. In short, this recital was an extraordinary achievement."