Featuring:
Soprano Julia (Jiali) Zhu, from Beijing, China:
April, 2007, Houston, Texas, the United States of America
organized by the Consulate General of the People’ Republic of China in Houston; The Houston International Festival and the United States and China Foundation.
Encouraged by the President Bush Senior, Dr. Henry Kissinger, The First Chinese Ambassador to the US and the Honorary Chairman of US-China Foundation Chai Zemin, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and many other leaders and well known friends/social celebrities in both the US and China, Julia Zhu will hold her solo concert in the both countries. She will be the first singer in the two countries to sing both Chinese songs and Western/American songs at a solo concert; at the same time, she will be also the first singer from the two nations to hold a graduation concert in both the United States and China.
Julia Zhu will invite her vocal musical instructor Liang Ning, internationally well-known mezzo-soprano, to join her for a duet from the opera Lakme.
Duet with Marc Hailer, renowned American tenor
Renowned tenor Marc Hailer will join Julia for “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Guests of Honor:
* His Excellency Former US President George Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush
Former US President George Bush has witnessed and also played a significant role in contemporary Sino-US history. In 1974, the former president came to Beijing with his family to assume the post of Director of the US Liaison Office in China. Since then, George Herbert Walker Bush has had a significant impact on US – China relations due to his expertise and his deep bond with our country. During his tenure as the Director in Beijing, Mr. George Bush Sr. accompanied Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, to meet with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. He has witnessed the growth of the Redwood tree in China, commensurate with the development of Sino-US relations.
Highly respected in both the US and China, former US President Bush has praised USCF for its solid contribution to the friendship between the people of our two great nations. He has expressed enthusiasm about Julia’s concert, indicating in his letter of June 28, that he will be pleased to attend this concert with his lovely wife Barbara if the venue will be Houston.
* Honorable Hua Jinzhou, the Consul General of PRC to Houston and his wife, Cultural Consul, Ms. Li Jiping
This concert is part of the 2007 Houston International Festival, to be held next April, organized by the city of Houston and supported by the Chinese Consulate General of Houston. The Honorable Consul General Hua Jin Zhou and his wife, Li Jiping, the Cultural Consul, will be in attendance.
* Honorable Chairman Charles Foster and his wife Lily Foster; Honorable President Dr. Jim Austin - 2007 Houston International Festival;
Other VIP guests to be invited:
* Honorable Mayor of Houston Bob White
* Honorable Former Secretary of State James Baker
* Honorable First Chinese Ambassador to America, Honorary Chairman of US-China Foundation, Chai Zemin
* Honorable Former Consul General of PRC to Houston and New York City, Senior Vice Chairman of USCF, Qiu Shengyun.
“Redwood Tree” (“HongShanShu”) –
(Music composed by Prof. Shen Chuan Xin)
“On the edge of China’s beautiful West Lake,
Stands a redwood tree.
It came from far across the Pacific,
Bathed in the dew of friendship.
Redwood, Redwood,
You brought friendship from America,
And you are now deeply rooted in the soil of China
I wish you strength, health and a long life, happy Redwood Tree.”
This beautiful song entitled “HongShanShu” – (“Redwood Tree”) (music composed by Prof. Shen Chuan Xin) symbolizes the strong friendship between China and the United States. The redwood tree is known for its towering majesty and longevity, and there is a beautiful story behind the tree referred to in the song.
There is a Redwood tree growing on the edge of Hangzhou’s West Lake, also known as “paradise on earth”.
In the late autumn of 1971, former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger, who was arranging the details of former US President Richard Nixon's visit to China, consulted Chinese leaders about what type of gift would be the most meaningful to Chinese people. Premier Zhou En Lai replied sincerely that America’s redwood trees were known as “grandfather of the earth”; so please present the Chinese people with an evergreen Redwood tree of friendship.
In February 1972, former US President Richard Nixon embarked on his historic visit to China, opening the door to a long friendship. With him in his private plane was a North American redwood tree. Accepting the tree, Premier Zhou En Lai ordered that it be planted on the edge of China’s beautiful West Lake. The tree, only two meters high at the time, now stands over 14 meters high with thick green leaves. It stands proudly at the entrance to Friendship Park…
The years have passed, and sadly, these two great leaders cannot be here with us today, yet they are with us in spirit always, and the tree planted by them has become a forest, providing shade for future generations.
Premier Zhou En Lai, President Richard Nixon and other leaders of their generation remain with us in spirit, and the redwood tree representing the friendship between China and the US is deeply rooted not only in the soil of China, but in the hearts of the Chinese and American peoples. “Redwood”, the song that relates this tale of friendship, spreads its wings and takes flight, soaring across the Pacific, over mountains and oceans, reverberating throughout every corner of China and every corner of the United States.
1. Background: Redwood: -- a Symbol of US-China Friendship
The year 2007 will mark the 35th anniversary of former US President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China as well as that of the signing of the Sino-US Shanghai Joint Communiqué. The United States and China Foundation (USCF), a non-governmental organization established in 1992 to promote friendship between China and the US, is proud to pay tribute to this historic event.
USCF (www.uscfinfo.org) has built a bridge of friendship between China and the US. Larry Lee, the President of USCF, along with several other key leaders of the Foundation, has the honor of calling US President Richard Nixon’s alma mater, Duke University, his own. The USCF, which has been organizing cultural and educational exchanges between China and the United States for fourteen years, has made great contributions to the understanding and friendship between the two countries. It is thus highly significant that, on the eve of the 35th anniversary of former US President Richard Nixon's first visit to China, USCF will host “Redwood” a Musical Celebration of US-China Friendship featuring Julia Zhu, soprano, and Art Director of USCF.
2. Ms. Julia (Jiali) Zhu, Soprano
Ms. Julia Zhu is a Chinese soprano who has won awards and gained recognition both in the US and in China. She is currently enrolled as a graduate student in the Chinese Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Her Chinese vocal teacher, Prof. Jin Tie Lin, the President of the Conservatory, is China’s most famous vocal educator. Julia is also studying under Ms. Liang Ning, one of the best western opera performers in the world (mezzo-soprano) and the Special Guest Director of the Vocal Department of the Conservatory. Julia, fortunate to be studying with respective masters of western and Chinese music, will receive her master’s degree from the National Conservatory next summer.
3. Encouraged by former President H.W. Bush, Dr. Henry
Kissinger, and the First Chinese Ambassador to the US and the Honorary Chairman of US-China Foundation Chai Zemin, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and many other leaders and well-known friends/celebrities in both the US and China, Julia Zhu will hold her solo concert in both countries. She will be the first singer to perform both Chinese and Western/American songs at a solo concert in both countries. She will also be the first singer to perform a graduation concert in both the United States and China.
* Supporters
The Chinese Embassy in the US and the Chinese Consulate General in Houston have pledged their strong support to this event. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Ministry of Culture, along with their US counterparts, have also voiced their support.
