Maestro move: Arena di Verona appoints Chinese chief

Maestro move: Arena di Verona appoints Chinese chief

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norman lebrecht

October 14, 2015

We hear from Shanghai that Xu Zhong is to be principal conductor at the Arena di Verona. The title given on the Chinese billboard is ‘principal director’ but we think this is a mistranslation from Italian via Chinese into English.

Xu Zhong1

 

Xu had a success in Verona in April 2014, directing a Beethoven concerto from the keyboard. In 2012, he was named artistic director of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Sicily.

Here’s another announcement photo from Shanghai. We await confirmation from Verona.

Xu Zhong

h/t: Rudolph Tang

Comments

  • Herb Glass says:

    Always thought Arena di Verona was devoted strictly to opera. And that Teatro Massimo Bellini is chiefly an opera house. So, is Xu Zhong principally an opera person? Some clarification, please.

  • Stefano says:

    It’s true. In the pictures you can see girondini, intendant of arena, signing the contract, and sobrino deputy Artistic director hugging Zhong

  • Herb says:

    Thanks for the clarification, Helen.

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