The Macao Orchestra believes you can fall in love with classical music and is offering a special concert to prove it – on Valentine’s Day, for lovers only. The one-off event will feature a series of classic love songs from some of the greatest operas.

The Macao Orchestra has invited soprano Shen Na to sing at the concert. She is a member of the Central Opera House of China, considered one the best opera troupes in the Asia-Pacific region.

She has studied extensively overseas and acquired several certificates of programmes for global opera masters, including one awarded by the New York Metropolitan Opera. She has worked with many well-known orchestras in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2005, she performed at a reception given by President Hu Jintao to the then US President George W. Bush.

Tenor Xue Haoyin will accompany Ms Shen on stage. A former student at the Music Conservatory of China, he has been a soloist in the China Broadcasting Arts Troupe and performed under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia, Finland, Canada and around Southeast Asia.

Mr Xue has worked with many high profile conductors such as Antonio Pappano, Mikko Franck, Bernard Haitink, Maurizio Benini, Mark Elder and Nicola Luisotti.

Versatility with the baton

Maestro Hu Yongyan, known for his versatile and energetic style, will conduct. In recent years, he has led such groups as the London Royal Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the China Philharmonic.

Throughout his professional career Mr Hu has enjoyed fruitful collaborations with stellar recording artists. One prominent example is the highly successful 2002 tour of South Korea, in which he led the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra in cooperation with the virtuoso Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Mr Hu has also performed with Itzhak Perlman, Lang Lang, Barbara Hendricks and Pinchas Zukerman.

Extending his talents to pop, Mr Hu has worked with such contemporary performers as Charlotte Church, Nana Mouskouri, Mark O’Connor and Doc Severinsen.

Mr Hu also devotes his time to shaping Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music’s EOS Orchestra Academy, a professional training orchestra for graduate student performers and young, talented professional musicians throughout the mainland.

More to come

The Valentine’s Day concert is the Macao Orchestra’s first in the Year of the Rabbit and there is a lot more to come before the end of the current concert season.

One of the highlights will be the July 30 season-closing concert featuring pianist Barry Douglas, the winner of the 1986 International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Until then there is plenty of music to enjoy. For instance, young violinist and silver medallist at the 2002 International Tchaikovsky Competition, Chen Xi, will play on March 26, and Italian violinist Paulo Morena on June 18. Pianist Zuo Zhang will join the orchestra on May 29.

Appearances will be made by a number of highly regarded guest conductors, including the principal conductor and music director of the Taiwan Philharmonic Orchestra, Lu Shao-chia on March 26; young Venezuelan conductor Jose Luis Gomez on June 18; and Australian violinist, conductor and concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, John Harding, on April 8.

The Taipei Philharmonic Chorus will once again perform in Macau for the Easter concert.

For the Macau Arts Festival in May, the Macao Orchestra will host the world première of commissioned works by famous composer Ye Xiaogang and the Macao Orchestra’s composer-in-residence Lam Bun-ching, as well as the latest works by local composer Doming Lam and internationally renowned Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng.