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Chico's Nightingale Sings in Tianneman Square

The fiftieth anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China will be celebrated in massive style on October 1, 1999. Ying Yeh, resident diva and director of Opera Workshop in the Department of Music at CSU, Chico, was one of China's most accomplished opera singers in the early Ô80s. She has been invited to return to sing a solo, "Bless You, China," composed especially for the gala celebration to be held at Tianneman Square.

While Yeh was in China this summer, she witnessed a complete overhaul of Beijing in anticipation of this very important birthday. "There were over sixty major construction projects going on," she said. "High rises, highways, bridges -- and so many trees have been planted. All the ground will be covered with flowers to beautify the country's capital. This is going to be an internationally televised media event."

One thousand entertainers have been asked to perform to multi-tiered risers on both wings of the square filled with audience members from around the world. Yeh will be among the most prominent guests on stage.

While now Yeh enjoys a rather unusual multicultural life -- from China to Chico and back again -- this bicontinental artist faced her share of the ravages of revolution. When Yeh described China in the '50s and '60s, she said, "Not a family was spared. We were all torn apart."

On October 2, Yeh will fly to Shanghai to perform for that city's celebration of the birthday. On October 4, she will be back in the classroom teaching at Chico State. -- Thomasin Saxe, College of Humanities and Fine Arts