Prof. SHI Yijie
School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

SHI Yijie is a professor at the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, a renowned Chinese tenor, an accomplished singer, and an active performer on global stages.

With exceptional artistry, SHI Yijie has been an active presence on the global opera stage since 2007. The same year, he won four consecutive gold medals at international vocal competitions, becoming the first Chinese singer to perform at the Rossini Opera Festival – the ultimate stage for interpreting Rossini's works – where he starred in leading roles for five consecutive years. His performances have graced over 500 shows at prestigious venues worldwide, including Teatro alla Scala (Milan), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), Teatro di San Carlo (Naples), Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Florence), Teatro Real (Madrid), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), Deutsche Oper Berlin, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (Paris), Théâtre du Capitole(Toulouse), Opéra municipal de Marseille, San Francisco Opera, Bolshoi Theatre (Moscow), Habima Theatre(Israel), Edinburgh International Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, and China's National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Specializing in works by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and Mozart, SHI is internationally recognized as one of the foremost interpreters of the Italian "Bel Canto" repertoire. His masterful control of tonal purity, nuanced timbral variations, and seamless musical phrasing enables him to imbue diverse styles with distinctive colors. His precise fusion of lyrical beauty and linguistic artistry has earned him worldwide acclaim.

To date, SHI has performed 41 operas globally. Notable roles include Almaviva (The Barber of Seville), Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Lindoro (L'italiana in Algeri), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Tonio (La fille du régiment), Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore), and the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto). His flawless execution of the legendary 19 High Cs in La fille du régiment solidified his prominence in opera circles.

Since 2010, SHI has maintained a prolific collaboration with renowned composer Xiaogang YE, participating in world premieres including the opera A Farewell Song and over a dozen major original works like Four Pieces of Lingnan, The Road to Republic, Light of Himalayas, and Du Fu's Thatched Cottage. Driven by his passion for Chinese culture, he actively promotes traditional and contemporary Chinese vocal works internationally. His interpretations of Chinese art song classics including "Homesickness," "Three Wishes of a Rose," "I Live at the Head of the Yangtze River," and "How Can I Rid My Mind of Her"—have captivated vocal enthusiasts nationwide. Since 2021, his collaborative albums Chinese Art Songs Vol. 1 & 2 with celebrated pianist CHEN Sa have been widely acclaimed.