Jingwei Hu

Thesis

Thesis Title & Description

The Reception of Richard Wagner in China

• Supervisor: Áine Sheil

Richard Wagner was a representative composer of European romantic music and also a significant figure in the history of German opera. In addition, he was a playwright, philosopher, critic and social activist. Therefore, Wagner not only played an important role in the history of European music but also had a certain influence on the history of European literature and philosophy. However, it was 116 years after Wagner's death that one of his operas (Der fliegende Holländer) was first staged in China in April 1999. Even now, Wagner’s operas are seldom performed in China compared with Puccini and Verdi. According to this phenomenon, I intend to analyse what causes the current situation of China's reception of Wagner's operas, from the perspectives of music, culture, and politics.

Biography

Biography

Jingwei Hu received a BA degree in Musicology from Xi’an University, China, in 2016. Her first Master’s degree was in Vocal Performance from Shaanxi Normal University, China, in 2020, and her second Master’s degree was in Musicology from the University of York in 2021. She is currently a PhD student in Musicology at the University of York, UK, funded by the China Scholarship Council. Her major field of interest is focused on the reception of operas in China and Wagner’s opera.

Research

Research interests

Richard Wagner; Western operas in China; Theory

Publications

Publications

Conference: 'Towards a better understanding of Chinese reception of Nixon in China', Opera in Transnational Contexts (2023)