After hearing Qiang's singing in Pavarotti's first opera he directed, Pavarotti said to Yu Qiang: you can be the best tenor in the world if your Italian can improve.
The following is an excerpt from http://www.portlandopera.org/2005/tos...
Yu Qiang Dai sang leading roles in China's most prominent theaters throughout the 1990's. A notable success was his May 2000 performances of Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen, which prompted the well-known French director Rene Perrason to declare, "You are the best Don Jose I have ever seen. You are the Don Jose in my heart." In November 1996, Mr. Dai was awarded the top prize in the Shizuoka International Opera Contest in Japan, in addition to the many other national and international awards he has received over the years.
Throughout his developing career, Yu Qiang Dai's mission has been to bring western opera to China. His art has always been infused with love and passion, reflecting his personal commitment to introduce great music to Chinese audiences. This talent and dedication were immediately recognized by the noted impresario Tibor Rudas, and Mr. Dai has accepted a long-term engagement with the Rudas Organization, providing audiences throughout the world the opportunity to hear this distinguished artist.
Mr. Rudas quickly arranged for Yu Qiang Dai's American operatic debut, as Calaf with Portland Opera in November 2003. His European debut was in July of 2004 with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the role of Cavaradossi in the production of Tosca. In November of 2004 Dai successfully performed the lead role of Calaf for Opera Pacific. Yu Qiang Dai also had the privilege to work under the direction of Maestro Luciano Pavarotti who was directing a production of La Boheme in Italy and asked for him to play the lead role.
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