The Seattle Symphony is sounding more radiant than ever! Music Director Xian Zhang leads the orchestra on a luminous new live album celebrating the music of Chinese-French composer Qigang Chen, released on the orchestra’s own Seattle Symphony Media label.
The album’s centerpiece is Chen’s Iris Dévoilée (Iris Unveiled), a concert suite for orchestra, three sopranos and traditional Chinese instruments that blends the expressive traditions of Peking opera with contemporary orchestral writing. Recorded before live audiences at Benaroya Hall, it features sopranos Meng Meng, Mei Gui Zhang and Seattle-born Tess Altiveros, alongside Yang Jin on pipa, Cathy Yang on erhu and Lucina Yue on zheng.
Also included is L’Éloignement, Chen’s poignant work for string orchestra. For Zhang, the recording is personal: it is her first album as the Seattle Symphony’s Music Director and a joyful statement of her commitment to championing music that bridges cultures.
Born in China and later settled in France, Chen — the final pupil of legendary composer Olivier Messiaen — has built an international career weaving Eastern and Western traditions into colorful, deeply emotional sound worlds. The Symphony’s acclaimed recording team captures it all in audiophile clarity. The striking cover art comes from Seattle-based photographer Steve Korn’s “Ghosts” series, featuring dancer Olivia Sander.
Photo: Seattle Symphony Media (cover art by Steve Korn)
