Peking Opera and Arabic poetry come together in Oxford

Peking Opera, classical Indian music and songs inspired by Arabic poetry were brought together in a series of performances to celebrate cultural diversity in Oxford, England.

The Art Beyond Borders Initiative (ABBI) hosted an immersive concert at the city's celebrated Holywell Music Room. 

The evening featured performances, including "A Bird Singing in the Wind", a Chinese art song by Betty Yan and Yuchen Zhang on soprano and piano. Indian classical music was represented by Aastha Mohapatra's "Song of Radha", highlighting the lyrical beauty of Raags. Meanwhile, "Aatini Al Naya Wa Ghanni", inspired by the poetry of Khalil Gibran, demonstrated the depth of storytelling in Arabic music. 

The audience was treated to a mixture of traditional instruments, operatic vocals, and classical compositions that transcended linguistic and cultural barriers. There was even a Peking Opera performance for which performers took three hours to prepare the make up.

Betty Yan, founder of ABBI and co-convener of the Graduate Research Colloquium at Oxford's Faculty of Music, shared how the initiative was born from her fieldwork in China. "I met many talented traditional performers who couldn't have opportunities to showcase their art to the rest of the world, while people in the West couldn't find a way to explore music and art from different cultures", she explained. 

She founded ABBI to create a platform for artists from different backgrounds to engage in cultural dialogue through music.

"I am pleased with the audience's reaction. Seeing them embrace and enjoy multicultural art from different parts of the world was incredibly rewarding. Many told me they were amazed, having never encountered these art forms before, this is exactly what we hoped to achieve," said Betty Yan. "Sometimes, unfamiliarity with different art forms is not due to a lack of appreciation but simply a lack of exposure. I'm grateful that this platform fosters inclusivity, encouraging diverse artistic expressions and meaningful cultural dialogue."

The performers meanwhile said the variety of music helped them to understand more about their own art.

"There are not many opera singers from India, and I've been singing for over 15 years," said Aastha Mohapatra, an internationally recognized soprano from Delhi. "I'm passionate about bringing Eastern voices to the stage, and I'm thrilled to share an art form that many haven't encountered before."

Audience members immersed themselves in the music, embracing the unique lyrical storytelling of each culture. "It's amazing to see different traditions redefine classical music beyond the usual Western narrative," said Andrianna, a Ukrainian graduate scholar from Somerville College, Oxford.

This concert marked ABBI's first major event of 2025, setting the stage for an ambitious year ahead. Beyond performances, ABBI plans to host an international opera festival, interdisciplinary conferences, and collaborative art projects.