Something to sing about

THE DRUM Theatre’s gala opening was highlighted for some by a Chinese man singing Italian opera.
The inimitable Hao Zhou almost stole the show from long-time favourites James Morrison and Silvie Paladino when he captured the hearts and minds of the audience while performing the emotional Italian classic Nessun Dorma.
But it was the image more than the song that capped off Hao’s performance with his Italian wife , Nella, by his side, in one of Victoria’s most multicultural cities.
“I think being a Chinese person singing in Italian, I thought perhaps my wife should do something in Chinese,” he said.
“We had to do something to really promote multiculturalism, or as we say in Chinese, give them something to sing about.”
The duo’s performance was injected with humour between songs and the cross-cultural twist impressed not only the 500 plus people, but left the show’s dignitaries in awe.
“Simon Crean and Steve Bracks commented and they said it was really good,” Hao said.
“They thought it was a great way to promote multiculturalism.”
“I had quite few people say to me ‘you were the highlight of the show’, when I really only get that sort of thing (from my family) when I get home,” he said.
“I had ladies come up to me saying ‘when you come back, we are going to fill up the theatre for you’.”