SolAria Music Foundation presents Bel Canto: From Past to Future in Review
Fang Tao Jiang, soprano
Jonathan Cameron Kelly, Jialin Yao, Piano; Hanna Park, Tianyou Ma, Violin; Andy Park, Viola; Shengyu Meng, Cello
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
October 24, 2026
SolAria Music Foundation, founded in 2025 by Fang Tao Jiang, presented a concert entitled Bel Canto: From Past to Future at Zankel Hall on October 24th. Ms. Jiang invited musical friends and her students to join her in what she described as a “journey through voices, languages, cultures, and generations.” A large crowd was present to experience what proved to be a delightful evening, with both the artistry of Ms. Jiang and the blossoming talents of her students front and center throughout. Ms. Jiang is not only an outstanding singer and teacher, but she is also an exceptional organizer as well. This is not a combination one sees very often; many organizations (with presenters who only have one job) could and should take notes on how to run a concert. She is a true dynamo!
There were twenty-six selections plus a song medley on the program. Obviously with so many works it is beyond the scope of this review to talk about every piece. I would like to focus on highlights, and I sincerely apologize to any artist who may feel short-changed. I would like to mention all the SolAria Emerging Young Artists here: Yuyao Chen, Xinran Du, Zhongjiancheng Deng, Junyue Gong, Yushan Guo, Andrew Hansong, Alan Huang, Miaoyan Hou, Ruochen Liu, Jiayin Wang, Melissa Wang, and Ruochen Yang. The New York Youth Vocal Ensemble, also under the direction of Ms. Jiang, offered a medley at the end of the concert.
Pianist Jonathan Cameron Kelly deserves special praise for his steadfast support to a dozen-plus singers in works of all periods and styles.
Ms. Jiang opened with two Chinese songs, both done with a simple, sincere charm. Songs by Quilter and Debussy (Clair de Lune, but not that Clair de Lune, but rather the one from Fêtes galantes) followed. Bellini’s Ma rendi pur contento was the high point of her first set, as she rendered with clarity the shimmering bel canto beauty that is so characteristic of this composer.
Musical friends Jialin Yao (piano), Hanna Park, Tianyou Ma (violin), Andy Park (viola), and Shengyu Meng (cello) took the stage and offered an energetic performance of the first movement Allegro of Dohnanyi’s Piano Quintet No.1 in C minor, Op 1. Mr. Yao returned in the second half to play Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60.
Ms. Jiang returned with special arrangements by Simon Frisch of lieder (Schubert, Mendelssohn, Dvořák) and operetta/musical (Lehar, Loewe) works with piano quintet accompaniment. Of these, Schubert’s Die Forelle (naturally!) and Vilja’s Song from Lehar’s The Merry Widow, were this listener’s favorites as Ms. Jiang demonstrated her versatility with almost an off-handed ease.
After intermission, the second half was dedicated to duets with Ms. Jiang and solo operatic arias. Things got off to a great start with Belle Nuit (Barcarolle) from Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Mezzo-soprano Yushan Guo joined Ms. Jiang, and the two wove together sounds of beauty and enchantment. Soprano Xinran Du and Ms. Jiang followed with Mozart’s Sull’aria from Le nozze di Figaro. Ms. Du not only has the necessary technique for this aria, but she projected well without any loss of quality or lightness. Tenor Zhongjiancheng Deng looked ill-at-ease as he fidgeted while the poised and polished Ms. Jiang began their duet That Would Be Me, by Hanfen Gu. Clark Kent became Superman when Mr. Deng joined in – the transformation was astounding! What a powerhouse he was – this is a young man with serious potential. The audience even applauded enthusiastically before the end of the duet, and roared when it was actually over. He made a lot of fans this evening. Let’s remind all of the role Ms. Jiang played not only in developing these young singers, but in allowing them to shine, never overpowering them with her experience and fully-developed artistry.
We now moved on to the Operatic Aria portion of the half. Soprano Miaoyan Hou navigated the vocal gymnastics of Handel’s Tornamo a vagheggiar from Alcina nimbly without a slip. Soprano Yuyao Chen had not only the vocal technique, but the emotional depth unusual for a younger performer in her aria Ach, ich fühl’s, from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Mezzo-soprano Ruochen Yang was having a blast as she fired off the rapid passages of Rossini’s Una voce poco fa, from Il barbiere di Siviglia to the delight of all. Mezzo-soprano Junyue Gong offered a saucy Carmen (complete with a flower in her hair) as she brought sass to the Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen. Tenor Jiayin Wang cut a dashing figure in tails and white gloves as he sang an elegant Questa o quella from Verdi’s Rigoletto. All joined Ms. Jiang in a “built-in” encore of Verdi’s Brindisi from La Traviata, which was charming as the singers danced across the stage, acting out the party scene.
The Emerging Artists then joined the New York Youth Vocal Ensemble for a medley of songs (My Favorite Things from Sound of Music, Somewhere from West Side Story, Shenandoah, and I Bought Me a Cat, amongst others) that ended the concert on a happy note. We may have heard some stars of the future this evening, but Ms. Jiang expressed her hope that these young artists will “pay it forward” and become the mentors of youngsters in the future. One can hope that the fine work that Ms. Jiang has begun will continue for many years to come.
