Warren Mok, Dai Yuqiang and Wei Song, Lincoln Center, New York
New York became the first stop of China’s Three Tenors’ world tour in an effort to promote Beijing tourism, the exchange of culture and people, and to show China’ talent in Western art.
The three Chinese tenors, Dai Yuqiang, Warren Mok, and Wei Song are considered the most famous opera singers in China. Dai Yuqiang is the first and only Chinese student of Luciano Pavarotti. Dai has a played major role in many operas such as Turandot, La Traviata, Carmen, and La Boheme. Warren Mok has built an international career and is the founder of Opera Hong Kong. Wei Song, also known as “China’s Pavarotti,” has played in numerous operas, both Western and Chinese. He is known for his performance as Othello.
China’s Three Tenors Concert in New York included melodies from operas, world classics and Chinese folk songs from various Chinese regions such as Qinghai, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.
The audience became especially excited by the tenors’ charm and sense of humor on the stage during the performance of “The Girl From Daban Town,” a Uyghur folk song, which was later adapted into the Chinese language. The song is believed to have been composed by a soldier envisioning his bride coming to him. Traditionally, in China it was a custom for the bride to take a carriage from her hometown to her groom’s home while she is being accompanied by her sister or a female from her family. Lyrics to the song below:
达坂城的姑娘 dá bǎnchéng de gū niang
达坂城的姑娘 dá bǎnchéng de gū niang
达坂城的石路硬又平啊 dá bǎnchéng de shí lù yìng yòu píng a
西瓜大又甜呀 xīguā dà yòu tián ya
达坂城的姑娘辫子长啊 dá bǎnchéng de gūniang biànzi cháng a
两个眼睛真漂亮 liǎng gè yǎnjīng zhēn piàoliang
你要是嫁人 nǐ yàoshi jià rén
不要嫁给别人 bùyào jià gěi biérén
一定要嫁给我 yīdìng yào jià gěi wǒ
带着你的嫁妆 dàizhe nǐ de jiàzhuāng
领着你的妹妹 lǐngzhe nǐ de mèimei
坐着那马车来 zuòzhe nà mǎchē lái
The Girl From Daban Town
The stone road of Daban Town is hard and flat ah
(but) The water melon is big and sweet yah
The braid of the girl from Daban Town is long ah
(Her) eyes are really beautiful
If you want to get married
Don’t marry another
(you) Must marry me
Carrying your dowry
Being led ( or accompanied) by your sister
(While) sitting in that carriage to come (to me)
Below is the televised performance of China’s Three Tenors as broadcasted by CCTV (China Central Television).