Chinese soprano HE Hui debut as Aida in Shanghai Grand Theatre in 1998. She burst onto the international music scene in 2002 with her performance as the title role in Puccini’s Tosca at Teatro Regio in Parma. And her Madama Butterfly debuted in National Opera House in Bordeaux. She has become not only one of the most famous interpreters of Cio-Cio San to be heard today, but also one of the most acclaimed interpreters of the titles roles in Aida and Tosca. Since her breakout performance in 2002, Ms. HE has sung at most of the world’s leading theatres, including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera Bastill in Paris, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Lirico opera in Chicago and Arena di Verona... Engagements for the 2016/17 season included Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and Zürich Opera, the title role in Tosca at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Festival Puccini, and the title role in Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Real de Madrid, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Den Norske Opera, and Dallas Opera. In future seasons, Ms. He will make her role and house debut as Elvira in Ernani with the Opéra de Marseille, return to the Metropolitan Opera as Madama Butterfly and sing the title role in La Gioconda at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.
In the 2015/16 season, Ms. HE sang the title role in Madama Butterfly at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the title role in Aida at the Arena di Verona and Teatro Verdi di Salerno in Italy, the title role in Tosca at Deutsche Oper Berlin and Semperoper Dresden, Leonora in Il Trovatore at Opera National de Paris and Arena di Verona, and Donna Leonora in La forza del Destino at Teatro Filarmonico di Verona and Staatstheater Wiesbaden. Engagements for the 2014/15 season included the title role in Madama Butterfly at Deutsche Oper Berlin, the title role in Aida at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Arena di Verona and National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, the title role in Tosca at Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Semperoper Dresden, Arena di Verona and Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, and Leonora in Il trovatore at Chorégies d’Orange in France. Ms. HE’s engagements for the 2013/14 season included Aida at Teatro alla Scala and Arena di Verona, the title role in La Gioconda at Deutsche Oper Berlin, Leonora at Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera and Den Norske Opera, Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera at Arena di Verona, and Verdi’s Requiem with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and at Teatro Regio di Torino.
In the 2012/13 season, Ms. HE sang the title role in Madama Butterfly at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Bavarian State Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Teatre Principal de Mahón in Spain, and Staatsoper Berlin; the title role in La Gioconda at Teatro Verdi di Salerno under Daniel Oren; the title role in Aida at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, and Arena di Verona; and Leonora in Il Trovatore at Arena di Verona. Her engagements for the 2011/12 season included the title role in Tosca at Oper Frankfurt and Opera di Firenze, Aida at Lyric Opera of Chicago and Arena di Verona, and Madama Butterfly at Theatre du Capitole in Toulouse. In the 2010/11 season, Ms. HE sang Aida at the 2011 Maggio Musicale Fiorentino production under Zubin Mehta, in a new production at Oper Köln, in Valencia, Munich, and with the New Israeli Opera at Masada.
Born in China’s Shaanxi, HE Hui completed her musical and vocal studies in China and Italy. In 2000, she won Second Prize at Placido Domingo’s International Operalia Competition in Los Angeles, after which she was invited by Maestro Domingo to sing a concert with him in Shanghai. In 2002, Ms. HE won the First Prize at the Voci Verdiane in Bussetto, where she was especially praised by the legendary Turkish soprano, Leyla Gencer. She subsequently made her Italian stage debut in February of 2002 as Tosca at the Teatro Regio in Parma. This debut was followed by Alzira in Parma, Un Ballo in Maschera in Verona and Bolzano, and Aida in Florence, Naples, Rome, Busetto, Lucca, Piacenza and Catanzaro. Ms. HE debuted at the Vienna State Opera as Lina in Verdi’s Stiffelio and at the Arena di Verona as Liu in Turandot. In 2006, she made two very important debuts: at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano in Tosca, conducted by Lorin Maazel, and at Opéra-Bastille in Paris in Madama Butterfly. In 2007, Ms. HE debuted in Munich as Tosca, and it was in this role that she made her New York Philharmonic debut in concert performances under Lorin Maazel in 2009. This was followed by her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2010 as Aida. HE Hui has performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses in the world and has appeared on stage along with some of the most renowned conductors (Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Oren, Fabio Luisi, Marco Armilliato, Andris Nelsons, Gustavo Dudamel).
She has participated in productions of the highest level with world-renowned directors (Franco Zeffirelli, Hugo de Ana, Robert Wilson, Damiano Michieletto, Giancarlo Del Monaco, Keita Asari), starring alongside highly acclaimed singer (Placido Domingo, Renato Bruson, Raina Kabaivanska, Giovanna Casolla, Dolora Zajick, Juan Pons, Roberto Alagna, Ambrogio Maestri). HE Hui has received many prestigious awards, such as the Prize “Sergio Ravazzin” in 2005 awarded for the best debut in the Arena by the association “Le Voci” of Verona”; the “Juliet” prize awarded by the “Giuseppe Verdi” association in Verona for her interpretation of Aida in 2007; the “Kaleidos” prize awarded by the Kaleidos association of Palermo in 2009; in 2010 she was awarded the Oscar of the Opera by the Arena di Verona Foundation; and in 2011 she was awarded the “Luigi Illica” prize by the City of Castell’Arquato; and in 2013 she received the “Verona Lirica” award assigned by the association, “2015 Marcella Pobbe award “, and also in 2015 she won “World Chinese Awards”.