Welsh Appointment for Conductor Tianyi Lu
Welsh National Opera (WNO) recently announced New Zealander Tianyi Lu as its first female conductor in residence.
The residency was launched to help re-address the gender balance across the industry, following WNO’s ‘Where Are All the Women’ symposium in 2018. Aiming to equip aspiring female conductors with the necessary skills and experience to pursue conducting careers, the scheme involves working closely with WNO music director Tomáš Hanus and the WNO Orchestra across a range of repertoire including main scale opera, as well as youth and community projects.
Currently assistant conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the St. Woolos Sinfonia based in Newport, Gwent, Lu has been described by WNO conductor laureate Carlo Rizzi as having “great musicality with a natural charisma on the podium”.
She first established a connection with WNO when working with the Youth and Community team on WNO Youth Opera’s production of Kommilitonen! in 2016, after completing a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD). Recent highlights include concerts with the Gulbenkian Orchestra with Carolin Widmann, City of Birmingham Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Hallé Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia.
Commenting on her appointment, Lu says: “I am thrilled to be back in Cardiff, my second home, to work with the many creative and courageous individuals that make up the vibrant organisation that is WNO. The company has inspired me for many years and I will relish the opportunity to dive into the diverse range of projects during my post over the next 18 months.”
Lu was born in Shanghai.
Original article by Melissa Bradshaw, Rhinegold Publishing, August 20, 2019.
Photo by Antony Potts.
