SECOND STAGE: Yiran Zhang, soprano | A Journey to Resonance | Graduating Student Project

Viellie Chanson is a charming piece composed by Georges Bizet, and it comes from a work that showcases his lyrical and emotional musical style. The piece is often categorized as a chanson (a French song), and its tender, nostalgic tone evokes the spirit of folk traditions, a feature Bizet often incorporated into his compositions.

Abendempfindung is an art song composed by Mozart, a German, and its lyrics are written by J. H. Campe, an Austrian. The song was completed by Mozart in June 1787, shortly after the death of his father. At that time, Mozart was so poor and ill that he could not return to Salzburg before his father died. Only a month before his father’s death, he wrote, if you think carefully, you can realize that death is the real goal of life. I have, in these years, come close to this truest friend of mankind, and his image frightens me no more, but calms and comforts me.” The art song embodies the characteristic of 19th-century sentimental poetry with lyrics that refer to tears, graves and life. However, in this song, Mozart does not fear death, but shows his inner peace, calmness and sadness in the face of death, as well as his mourn to his father’s death.

Kennst du das Land is one of the poems written for Mignon by Goethe. It describes Mignon’s longing for her home country Italy and expresses her desire to find a father figure in the novel’s young protagonist Wilhelm. Mignon’s emotions to Wilhelm move between the love of a woman the love for a saviorr  and the love of a child for her father. Throughout the poem, Mignon’s emotional status is hanging between being hopeful (about finding her home) and feeling anxious.

Frere! Voyez!… Du gai soleil sung by Charlotte’s younger sister Sophie, who observes Werther’s troubled spirit and due to her youthful naivete does not truly understand his frustrated lovelorn state and encourages him to see the happiness that life has to offer.

Yiran Zhang is a dedicated soprano and vocal instructor with a profound passion for exploring and performing the works of women composers. Their mission is to give voice to the often-overlooked contributions of these composers, and their upcoming 2025 recital, “A Woman’s Life,” epitomizes this commitment. The recital will feature works by Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, Amy Beach, Rosephanye Powell, Barbara Strozzi, Cecile Chaminade, and Clara Kathleen Rogers—composers who have significantly impacted the field of music with their innovative and expressive contributions. Throughout their academic journey, she has not only honed their performance skills but has also been deeply involved in vocal pedagogy. As a teaching assistant, they guided students in translating and pronouncing Italian and German lyrics and played an integral role in concert organization. Beyond their academic work, she worked part-time as a vocal teacher, sharing their passion for art song literature and operatic repertoire with students. This experience highlighted their ability to inspire enthusiasm and foster a love of music in others. She has had ample opportunities to perform onstage, participating in productions such as The Little Prince by Rachel Portman and Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.