A qualifying contest for the 2023 Ningbo International Vocal Competition is held in Vienna, Austria. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

After a five-year hiatus, the 2023 Ningbo International Vocal Competition is set to commence at the Ningbo Grand Theatre on the evening of Dec 3.

The event, co-hosted by the Ningbo Municipal People's Government and the Central Conservatory of Music, has attracted 417 participants from 43 countries and regions across five continents, including 147 international contestants. These figures mark a new record for the competition in terms of participant numbers and geographical diversity.

The Ningbo International Vocal Competition is only vocal competition in China to be chosen by the World Federation of International Music Competitions and has been held a total of 5 times. The opening concert of this year's competition will be conducted by Yu Feng, president of the Central Conservatory of Music.

One of the most highly-anticipated components of the opening concert is a performance of Yueju Opera. Xu Qiuying and Chen Er, two up-and-coming stars from Ningbo, will present selected scenes from well-known Yueju Opera productions, namely "Mu Guiying Takes Command" and "The Butterfly Lovers".

"Although traditional Chinese opera and Western vocal music may seem contradictory, art knows no boundaries. I am confident that the fusion between Chinese opera and vocal music will captivate the audience," remarked Tong Ming, conductor of the Ningbo Symphony Orchestra.