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About Us/Background

 

Founded in 2011 by the Asian Performing Arts of Colorado (aka Asian Performing Arts Council), a U.S. nonprofit organization, iSING! Festival was created to foster cultural exchange between the U.S. and Asia.  Launched as the first international young artists program of its kind in China with a unique vision and innovative concept of introducing Mandarin as a lyric language. It has since grown into a unique global vocal arts festival that brings together emerging post-graduate and young professional singers from East and West.


Since its inception, nearly 400 singers from more than 30 countries have participated in iSING!, performing in over 50 major concerts at venues such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

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In 2022, during the pandemic and against all odds, iSING! launched the world premiere of iSING! Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems in China, commissioning new works inspired by Tang poetry through an international composition competition. The project has since gained international acclaim, culminating the North American debut in 2023 performances with The Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, Lincoln Center, and Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts.


Under the leadership of Artistic Director Hao Jiang Tian—the celebrated opera bass who sang at the Metropolitan Opera for over 20 consecutive seasons, with more than 1,400 performances of 50 roles worldwide—iSING! continues to pioneer bold new approaches to opera and cross-cultural exchange.


The Festival’s music staff includes distinguished vocal experts from leading conservatories, opera houses, and festivals around the world. Its creative and production teams feature acclaimed directors, designers, and choreographers active at major institutions including the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Covent Garden, Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, Arena di Verona, Bavarian State Opera, Cape Town Opera, Juilliard, Opera Australia, Glyndebourne Festival, and the Bolshoi Theatre.


iSING! has been featured internationally in media such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Time Magazine, BBC, NPR, NBC, Associated Press, CCTV, and more. 

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Recent Highlights

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​Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems -- Since 2023 iSING! has brought to life the Poetry of the Tang Dynasty (618-907-A.D). Emblematic of the human spirit and cultural refinement, much like Shakespeare’s oeuvre, Tang poems represent a timeless Zeitgeist.

 

For the first time these 1,300-year-old poems were set to music by young composers from six countries. Thirty iSING! artists from ten countries sang these works in Mandarin. Some of the performances included:

 

  • In 2023 with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems debuted at Lincoln Center and the Kimmel Center.

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  • World Premiere (2024): Spring River Flowers by Moonlight – A new Tang poem setting by Mason Bates, commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra, premiered on the Orchestra’s China Tour under Maestro Marin Alsop at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts.​

 

  • Asia Tour Performances

    • Tang Poems concerts in Macau and Wuhan

    • Chengdu SKP iSING! Opera Gala directed by acclaimed opera director Hugo De Ana and conducted by Kamal Khan

    • A reprising selected Tang poems with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the China National Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Tristan Rais-Sherman.

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iSING! Accomplishments


Over 12 triumphant seasons, iSING! has garnered critical acclaim:

 

  • Nurtured 400+ singers from over 30 countries.
     

  • Performed in major international venues with top orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York City Opera Orchestra, and China National Symphony Orchestra. 

 

  • Created opportunities for iSING! artists to star in world premieres of three 
    modern Chinese operas including: 
    Voyage to the East (Lincoln Center and Japan tour);     Diary of John Rabe (Berlin Staatsoper, Elbphilharmonie, Theater an der Wien) Rickshaw Boy (five-city Italy tour: Turin, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Parma)

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Alumni Achievements​

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  • iSING! Alumni Engagements:

    • Guanqun Yu, soprano (2001), Nicholas Brownlee, bass-baritone (2001) in Aida at Frankfurt Opera

    • William Guanbo Su, bass (2017) in Magic Flute at Metropolitan Opera

    • Bu Le, bass-baritone (2017) in five operas at Metropolitan Opera

    • Wei Wu, bass (2011), Briana Hunter, mezzo-soprano (2012) Frederick Ballentine, tenor (2011) in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera

    • Jamez McCorkle, tenor (2012) in Omar at San Francisco Opera

    • Holly Flack, soprano (2019) in Animal Farm at Staatsoper Berlin

    • Meigui Zhang, soprano (2014) in Don Giovanni at Los Angeles Opera

 

  • iSING! Alumni Debuts 

    • Metropolitan Opera

    • Berlin Staatsoper

    • Teatro alla Scala

    • L’opéra de Paris

    • San Francisco Opera

    • Zürich Opera House

    • Houston Grand Opera

    • Washington National Opera

    • National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing

    • Phantom of the Opera on Broadway

 

  • iSING! Alumni at Young Artist Program 

    • Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program

    • San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program

    • San Francisco Opera’s Adler Program

    • Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera

    • Houston Grand Opera Studio

    • Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers

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  • iSING! Alumni Competition Winners

    • Winners of Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions

    • Winners of Plácido Domingo's Operalia

    • Hans Gabor Belvedere International Voice Competition

    • Paris Opera Competition

    • Spoleto Festival

    • George London Vocal Competition

    • Two Grammy Awards winners

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