Opera singer Shenyang promotes Western classical music on mainland

After being discovered in 2007 by opera singer Renee Fleming, winning the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World award and debuting at New York's Metropolitan Opera that same year, bass-baritone superstar Shenyang has set his sights on promoting classical music on the mainland.

"The money to support the future of classical music is in China, but [success] isn't certain," said the hulking 28-year-old Tianjin native, who was Shanghai Symphony Orchestra's artist-in-residence last year.

"The [central] government is building these grand stadiums, giving them millions of yuan to work with each year, but most of them have no idea how to manage a theatre," he said.

The mainland's classical music scene is barely a decade old, as the development of Western musical styles was suppressed during much of the country's tumultuous 20th century, he said.

The singer says only a handful of people are working to promote opera on the mainland, and that includes his friend, Hong Kong's leading tenor and Opera Hong Kong artistic director Warren Mok. These people have been going from theatre to theatre, launching music festivals and performing domestically and internationally.

"China needs more people like [Mok]," he said. "We also need more supporters to help nurture artistic diversity. It's not just about getting government money."