CHINA TOUR 2024
My first trip to China took place in 2011 as an Arts Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. That trip marked the beginning of what I see as a lifelong journey of discovery, exploration, and appreciation of Chinese culture.
This summer, I returned to China once again as an Arts Envoy, for performances and activities in Fujian and Guangdong Provinces, and in Beijing. I reunited with many dear friends, including Maestra Zheng Xiaoying with whom I performed Carmen excerpts and debuted new songs by Faye Chiao and Elliot Leung. I reconnected with my young friend Huang Yicheng in his native Nanjing County. Yicheng taught me about Zhi Yin last summer when we met. I was also delighted to return to Zhangzhou and perform with another close friend, Puppet Master Chen.
Each time I travel to China, I feel fortunate to learn so much from my friends there. I hope that in sharing my experiences with you, I can pass along some of that wisdom. In that spirit, one lesson that particularly impressed me from this trip is from the Analects by Confucius:
"Man's maturity is fostered through enlightening of poems, educating of etiquette, and exploring of music."
May we never underestimate the power of music to help us mature as individuals, and a society, and as humans.
"For Friendship starts with Listening! It's heartwarming to see opera singers from both China and the United States, including Carla Canales perform together at a special concert in Xiamen on July 19," wrote by Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, on the X platform.
The friendship, beyond nationality, language, and ethnicity, indescribable in words, was witnessed by the audience at the Xiamen Zheng Xiaoying Opera Art Center Philharmonic Hall.
On July 19, 2024, the Philharmonic Hall hosted a concert titled " For Friendship Starts with Listening—Chinese and American Singers Concert Night." The concert was not only a culmination of the previous four months of the online cultural exchange TTA Academy project but also their first time sharing music evening together. The concert's title, "For Friendship Starts with Listening," was inspired by Carla's article in The New York Times last November, "For the U.S. and China, it starts with listening."
Featured Interviews
Life as an American Cultural Envoy and Artist in China - The China Current with James Chau
A conversation on the role of an Arts Envoy in furthering bilateral relationships and mutual understanding through listening and exchanging, starting with commnalities.
The Past and Future of US-China Cultural Relations - The China Current with James Chau
A conversation on the importance of thinking about the future for mutual benefit and working together considering the shared history of friendship.
Xiamen
Fuzhou
Zhangzhou
Guangzhou
Beijing