Liao Changyong (sitting in the middle) is pictured with officials of the Showa University of Music in Japan.

Shanghai Conservatory of Music Vice President Liao Changyong attended the International Stage Art and Cooperation Forum held by the Showa University of Music in Japan in September 2016 and talked with Kyousuke Shimoyakawa, chairman of the university and other officials on a variety of topics.

Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in opera production and performance, giving young singers more opportunities to practice their skills. They will also promote cooperation in theater management and stage art production.

The Showa University of Music is a private school founded in 1957 by Keisuke Shimoyakawa and upgraded to a university in 1984. The university is well known for music education, production and performances. It reproduces three complete Italian operas every year for academic research and commercial performance.

It offers undergraduate programs in composition, instrumental music, vocal music and music and arts management and graduate programs in opera, instrumental music, composition, and music and arts management.

The SHCM and the Showa University of Music collaborated in the performance of Wolfgang Mozart’s opera “Le Nozze di Figaro” in Tokyo and Shanghai from October to December of 2015. It was the SHCM’s first presentation of a complete Italian opera and its students majoring in opera performance had an excellent opportunity to gain stage experience.

The SHCM sent three opera students to the university for training before playing parts in the Mozart opera “Cosi Fan Tutte” in Japan on October 8 and 9. Liao met the three students and wished them success in the performance.