The iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival 2014 concluded with a grand closing performance on July 27.

A total of 40 singers from eight countries including the US, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Croatia, Chile and China impressed the audience with their talent in performing both classic opera repertoire and new songs learned during the training session.

The young artists sang operas including “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “Rigoletto,” and “Le Comte Ory,” demonstrating the elegance and complexity of Western music. Chinese songs “Come and Meet with Young Friends,” “Ocean My Hometown,” and “The Moon Represents My Heart” took the audience back to the old days, and Chinese classics like “An Ode to the Yellow River,” “The Taihu Lake is Beautiful,” “The White-Haired Lady,” and “Shajiabang” made for a perfect combination of music cultures from both East and West.

Since it began on June 27, the festival has been the focus of much attention, as it is the first international vocal arts festival on the Chinese mainland. The young singers gathered in Suzhou for a one-month training session, learning new songs, music theory, singing skills and performance 　techniques. In addition to opening and closing performances, they also participated in flash mobs, attended lectures and visited nearby cities.