Soprano, famous Chinese music educator, a professor of the vocal and opera department of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, from which she graduated herself in 1952. She subsequently perfected her vocal skills at the Moscow State Conservatory. In 1958 she received the prestigious title of “excellent opera and concert singer”. She won two gold medals at the World Youth Competition.
The leading parts in her repertoire included Tatiana in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and Mimi in Puccini’s La Bohème. She gave recitals in her home country and abroad for many years, performing in such countries as Austria, Germany, Poland, Russia, Switzerland as well as Cuba and the United States. Her Opera Album, released in 1989, became a gold record. In 1997 the China Record Corporation released a series of a hundred anthologies of vocal music performed by famous Chinese musicians, and Guo Shuzhen’s personal album is one of them.
Being an outstanding teacher, she has educated a whole generation of young singers. Many of them have won prestigious awards at international vocal competitions, and then appeared regularly at leading opera theatres. Among her many important posts, she is a member of the National Examination Committee for Professional Artists at the Ministry of Culture of China, and has been a jury member in many important international vocal competitions.
Photo: Archive