As the early summer breeze gently swept through Beijing, carrying with it the whispers of a city winding down for the night on June 17, inside the packed Opera and Concert Hall of the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), applause rose in waves.

"Bravo! Bravo!" The audience cheered as Zheng Xiaoying, a respected 95-year-old music educator, and Wu Lingfen, a conductor in her late 70s, stepped onto the stage, surrounded by opera singers decked out in the most flamboyant costumes. This night saw the return of the Chinese rendition of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, featuring its original cast—reunited for the first time in 41 years.

The performers, all 1983 CCOM graduates, breathed new life into the classic opera. Their reunion opened a new chapter in the restaging of timeless works. As the music filled the hall, it became clear this was more than just a performance; this was a celebration of the enduring legacy of classical art.

Back on stage 

In May 1983, The Marriage of Figaro made its groundbreaking Chinese debut. Its premiere in China conveyed the achievements of country's first professional opera education.

After three initial performances in the original CCOM auditorium, the production staged more than 10 public shows. The opera ignited a theater craze, captivating audiences and attracting attention from foreign embassies in Beijing.

Now, 41 years later, The Marriage of Figaro has made its comeback. The nearly 80-year-old Wu, who conducted the masterpiece's premiere in China, returns as conductor, while 67-year-old Liu Keqing, who first played Figaro at 26, now serves as the revival's director. The production has already seen successful runs in Xiamen and Fuzhou in Fujian Province, southeast China, in May, starring a cast with an average age of 68.

"I was born in 1983, and my tutor often spoke of the thrill he felt watching this classic that same year," said Wang Wei, a bank employee who has been playing the flute since childhood, told Beijing Review. "Today, I'm here with him to enjoy the revival. What's remarkable is that it's still performed by the original cast from decades ago. This truly shows how art can transcend time."

In April 1786, Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his opera The Marriage of Figaro. A pioneering pre-French Revolution comedy that challenged aristocratic authority while elevating the common people, its subject matter was very avant-garde for its time.

The opera's complex yet captivating multi-voice ensembles showcase Mozart's genius, offering both artistic excellence and social commentary. On May 1 of that same year, Mozart himself conducted the premiere at the Burgtheater in Vienna, the national theater of Austria, where it met with resounding success. For more than two centuries since, this masterpiece has graced stages worldwide, earning widespread acclaim and solidifying its place as a cornerstone of operatic art.

The decision to feature The Marriage of Figaro as the grand finale for the 1983 graduation was a well-thought-out one. Vocal music teachers of CCOM understood that mastering Mozart is fundamental for all opera students. This opera is a cornerstone of opera education and an essential part of music history and opera development. Its meticulous composition makes it excellent training material for vocal music students. Each aria, recitative, chorus and ensemble was beautifully crafted and perfectly unified in rhythm.

"The Marriage of Figaro was the stepping stone for China's first generation of professionally trained opera talents to grace both the domestic and international stage," Zheng recalled in an interview with Chinese Artists Newspaper. "This opera embodies the tireless efforts of our [now] senior opera artists and marked the beginning of a new era in Chinese opera development."

Decades have passed, and the young opera singers who were just starting out back then have grown into pillars of the opera genre both at home and abroad. In 2019, at Zheng's 90th birthday celebrations, the two artists, who'd starred as the Count and Countess in 1983, performed excerpts from The Marriage of Figaro in Chinese, inspiring Zheng to organize a re-run.

Through the joint efforts of several generations of opera performers, the classic work—filled with wit, satire and love—today once again takes center stage. Performing traditional Western operas in Chinese allows Chinese opera singers to grasp the artistic nuances of their lines, enabling Chinese audiences to understand the plot and really appreciate opera's charm.

Forever young 

Zheng stands out as a remarkable figure in both music and education. At 90-plus, her active engagement in the field of classical music is extraordinary, matching the energy and dedication of colleagues decades her junior.

The first female symphony conductor after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Zheng had already gained international recognition by the age of 33. Her 1962 performance conducting Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's challenging Tosca at Moscow's National Music Theater, while studying in the then Soviet Union, drew acclaim from the global music community.

Today, Zheng remains tireless—even in retirement. She dedicates herself to popularizing classical music, managing orchestras and producing operas. Recently, her studio, the Zheng Xiaoying Opera Center, has embraced social media platforms like Chinese YouTube equivalent Bilibili and Douyin, TikTok's Chinese sister app, sharing videos to promote the musical genre. 

Zheng has always adhered to an artistic philosophy of "singing Western operas in Chinese." In contrast to the popular view that opera must be sung in its original language, she believes that language barriers force audiences to focus on subtitles, detracting from what's actually happening on stage. This belief influenced her decision to revive the Chinese version of The Marriage of Figaro.

To lift audiences' enjoyment of the opera, she recorded four "guiding" videos. These were played before each act, featuring Zheng explaining the plot of the following act and highlighting key moments.

As China's first female conductor, Zheng has nurtured numerous conductors and opera talents, including Wu. Wu often reflects on Zheng's unique mentorship. Whereas most teachers will "help you get on the horse and send you on your way," Zheng "accompanies you for a lifetime."

Inspired, Wu has adopted a similar approach with her students, "bringing them onto the stage and pushing them forward."

After honing her skills at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in the 1980s, Wu returned to China, focusing on choral research and teaching. In 1998, she pioneered the choral conducting department at the China Conservatory of Music.

At 79, Wu remains dedicated to teaching. A 2020 video of her conducting at Sias University in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, went viral on Chinese social media, showcasing her enduring passion. Many netizens commented the scene was "absolutely adorable."

"Being adorable is necessary for art," Wu said in response to the admiration. "It's important to inspire students to feel art's beauty."

When Zheng invited Wu to reprise the role of conductor for the Chinese version of The Marriage of Figaro, she immediately accepted.

"Today, our collaboration truly delves into Mozart's romantic classical style," Wu reflected.

"And as long as Zheng needs me, I'll be there," she said, confident in the foundation laid 41 years ago.

(Print Edition Title: Living Legends) 

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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