From Butterfly to Aida and Tosca, how Chinese soprano He Hui took Italian opera to heart – book extract

In an extract from her new book, Hong Kong author Melanie Ho describes how a singer from Xian, China, has made some of the biggest roles in Italian opera her own, none more than the title role in Madama Butterfly

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Hui He as Cio-Cio-San and tenor Andrea Caré as B. F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Madrid’s Teatro Real. Photo: Javier del Real

Published: 8:31am, 19 Oct 2017Updated: 8:31am, 19 Oct 2017

A renowned Madama Butterfly and the first Chinese soprano to sing Tosca at La Scala and Aida at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, He Hui is arguably the most successful Western opera singer to come out of China.

Hong Kong author Melanie Ho’s new book, Journey to the West: He Hui, a Chinese soprano in the world of Italian opera, takes readers from He Hui’s home in Xian and her second-place finish in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition to her debut as Tosca in the notoriously difficult opera city of Parma and, ultimately, to her arrival and staying power as one of the world’s leading sopranos.

Chinese soprano He Hui talks about singing Aida for Placido Domingo and loving the role she’ll perform in Hong Hong this month

In an excerpt from her new book, Ho describes how He Hui has made the role of Butterfly her own:

The curtain closed. He Hui stood and straightened her white kimono. Although she hadn’t wept (the perfect geisha make-up remained intact), the heartbreak of the performance – specifically, the emotion of this performance – wasn’t lost on anyone. The curtain had closed on He Hui’s 150th performance of Madama Butterfly. The Chinese soprano allowed herself a soft smile.

He Hui as Madama Butterfly in Madrid earlier this year. It is a role the Chinese soprano has made her own. Photo: Javier del Real/Teatro Real).

The applause, enthusiastic and generous, was audible through the heavy curtain. Critics of an earlier performance at the Dallas Opera House had praised He Hui’s Butterfly as one “for the ages”; she wondered if anyone watching her might have known about the milestone. In all likelihood no.