Chinese baritone Wang Yunpeng, featured on the cover of Opera News as one of “opera’s exciting new voices,” will sing Schubert’s “Winter Journey” in Shekou on May 15. He will be accompanied by Malaysian pianist Shah Johan Shahridzuan.

With 24 songs for voice and piano, this set was composed in 1827 using almost entirely minor keys, sounding sad to our ears. Its mournful character reflects some of the personal trauma that Schubert himself was experiencing at the time, as he suffered from failing health and died a year later at only 31.

With lyrics by German poet Wilhelm Muller, the songs were written as the voice of a young man who, upon seeing his beloved marry another, sets out on foot in the deepest winter to escape memories of her. His heart is broken, and his life is a torment of memories, dreams and pain. Schubert’s music perfectly captures that torrent of emotion with his exquisite control of the harmonies and melodic flow. The subject matter — a wanderer alone with his sorrows — was a popular theme of the Romantic era.

Wang, born in Shenzhen, is one of the most talented young baritones in the world. With a bachelor’s degree from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, he received a master’s degree from The Manhattan School of Music. While still studying, he won the second prize as well as the Zarzuela Prize and the coveted Audience Favorite Award at Placido Domingo’s 2012 Operalia Competition. In 2014, he won the first prize at the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition. He was also the recipient of the 2017 Martin E. Segal award presented by the Metropolitan Opera. He is a former member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.

In 2019, he performed the title role in the Debussy opera “Pelleas and Melisande” with the Metropolitan Opera, winning rave reviews. Apart from his many roles on the opera stage, Wang has also collaborated with top orchestras and conductors at concerts.

Time: 8 p.m., May 15

Tickets: 280-480 yuan

Booking: WeChat account “cmskpac”

Venue: Mountain View Theater, 3/F, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanshan District (南山区海上世界文化艺术中心三楼境山剧场)

Metro: Line 2 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A(SD News)