Carolyn Zhang Yu is a Chinese coloratura soprano opera singer who resides and performs in Hungary. She graduated from Xi’an Conservatory of Music (Shaanxi, China) in 2003 and subsequently completed her master’s degree studies at the Faculty of Music of the University of Szeged with outstanding results, also acquiring proficiency in Hungarian language skills. Carolyn stands as the sole active Chinese opera singer in Hungary. She has graced the stages of Hungarian theaters and various other venues across the country, starring in popular operas and operettas. Noteworthy performances include leading roles in operettas such as “Skylark” (Pacsirta), “The Bat” (Die Fledermaus), and “The Gipsy Love” (Cigányszerelem), as well as operas like “The Magic Flute” (Die Zauberflöte), “La Traviata,” and “Turandot.”
In 2011, Carolyn released a CD collection of her songs titled “Oriental Skylark over the Danube,” which was well-received by the public. She frequently appears in concerts alongside renowned Hungarian singers and musicians, as well as on Hungarian television programs such as Ridikül and Fábry show.
Over her 15-year career, Carolyn has garnered awards in several international singing competitions, including the EURO-Sino Cultural Achievement Award in 2017.
Currently, Carolyn holds the distinction of being the only Chinese-origin university music teacher in Hungary. Additionally, she serves as the head of the music section at the Hungarian-Chinese Cultural Center in Budapest. One of her primary objectives is to serve as Hungary’s cultural ambassador in China, a goal she pursues by teaching Hungarian folk songs and dances to Chinese individuals. Through her diverse musical endeavors, she is dedicated to fostering cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and Hungary.
Zhang Yu Carolyn | Concerts
2014
– 04.04. Soloist – International Choral Festival / Cincinnati, USA
– 04.25. Budapest International Festival – Chinese Evening
2015
– 01.04. New Year’s Concert / Budapest – Óbudai Társaskör
– 03.05. Szeged – Confucius Institute
– 05.17. Gödöllő – Music Festival
– 07.05. Operetta Gala – Eger
– 12.12. Arpeggio Orchestra / Gödöllő – Royal Castle Riding Hall
– 12.15. Opera Gala | Budapest
2016
– 04.14. On the Occasion of Confucius Day / Szeged – Agora
– 05.18. Guest: Neumark Zoltán / Budapest – Fészek Művészklub
– 06.06. On the Occasion of Lotus Days / Szeged – Botanical Garden
– 07.14. Budapest – Hungarian Radio
– 05.20. Gödöllő – Music Festival
– 10.13. Budapest – Óbudai Társaskör
– 11.29. Operetta Gala / Budapest
2017
– 05.21. Concert / Gödöllő – Music Festival
– 06.23. Mozart: The Magic Flute (Queen of the Night) / Budapest – Müpa Guest: KFT Orchestra
– 06.27. Concert / Kecskemét – Katona József Theatre
– 06.28. Concert / Budapest – Chinese Embassy
– 07.14. Concert / Eger – Music Festival
– 11.02. Concert and Interview at Confucius Teahouse – Music: Bridge / Budapest
– 11.27. Masterclass Instructor / Chengdu, China – Sichuan University School of Music
– 11.28. Concert / Chengdu, China – Sichuan University School of Music
– 11.29. Masterclass Instructor / China – Neijiang University School of Music
– 12.10. Concert / Budapest – Szabó Ervin Library
– 12.28. Concert / Szeged – Rotary Club Szeged Tisza
2018
– 01.03. New Year’s Concert / Budapest – Óbudai Társaskör
– 01.14. New Year’s Concert Guest: Dunakeszi Symphony Orchestra – Conductor: Pál Farkas / Somorja
– 01.17. New Year’s Concert Guest: Dunakeszi Symphony Orchestra – Conductor: Pál Farkas / Somorja
– 01.19. New Year’s Concert / Eger – Gárdonyi Géza Cultural Center and Library
– 01.28. Concert / Szeged – Rotary Club Szeged Tisza
– 02.06. Television Program Recording – Ridikül – Duna TV / Budapest
– 02.16. Operetta Gala Monarchy Operetta Company / Győr – National Theatre
– 03.02. Chinese New Year Concert – Chinese Embassy / Budapest MOM Cultural Center
– 03.22. Award Presentation – Euro-Sino Cultural Achievement Award
– 04.02. Concert / Szeged – Friends of Opera Society – Fricsay Hall
– 04.10. Concert – Master and Disciple Chinese Students / Szeged – ZMK Fricsay Hall
– 04.20. Concert / Cardiff, Wales
– 05.06. Television Recording / China CCTV – Chinese Public Television
– 05.07. “One Belt, One Road” Music Festival / Chengdu, China
– 05.18. “One Belt, One Road” Music Festival / Leshan, China – Southwest Jiaotong University
– 05.12. “One Belt, One Road” Music Festival / Leshan, China – Melody in Zhonghe High School
– 05.25. Pacsirta Hungarian Operetta | Hungarian Music Concert | Chengdu, China
– 05.27. Pacsirta Hungarian Operetta | Xihua University School of Music | China
– 06.03. Opera Gala | Kecskemét
– 06.07. “One Belt, One Road” Cultural Program / Budapest – Hungarian-Chinese School
– 06.08. Schumann Music Festival | June 2018 | Zwickau, Germany
– 06.10. International Choir Competition / Budapest – X District Cultural Center
– 07.22. Pub Musician Festival / Pécs
– 09.22. Guest: Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra – Bordal Festival Villány / Pécs – Kodály Centre
– 09.23. Concert – Bordal Festival Villány
– 09.25. Concert – On the Occasion of Confucius Day / Szeged
– 10.23. Concert – Chinese International Middle Autumn Festival / Budapest X District Cultural Center
– 12.01. Concert – Advent Concert / Eger
– 12.06. Concert Guest: André Vásáry / Kerepestarcsa
– 12.12. Concert – Pepita Christmas / Budapest
2019
– 01.29. Aria Concert Budapest, Fészek Művészklub Guest: Zoltán Neumark
– 02.02. Chinese Cultural Day – Evening of Songs Budapest, Csillaghelyi Cultural Center
– 02.14. Chinese New Year Concert MOM Cultural Center
– 02.15. Cultural Gala Evening for the Chinese Spring Festival – MOM Cultural Center
– 02.27. Studio Recording Budapest
– 03.19. Anniversary Concert – Who Wants to Win Today? TV Program and Radio Recording, Marcibányi Square Cultural Center
– 04.12. TV Recording and Report / Shanghai, China – Xinzhi International Education Institute
– 04.13. Concert Guest: Prof. Dr. Temesi Mária, Dr. Császár Zsuzsa / Shanghai, China
– 04.21. “Woman of the Year” Cultural Award / Belgrade, Serbia
– 04.25. Concert / Budapest -Organized by Ferihegy Airport Chinese-Hungarian Concert
– 05.05. Opera Gala / Szeged – National Theatre, Szeged Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Tamás Pál, Director: Attila Toronykőy
– 06.07. Chinese Culture and Tourism Week | Budapest, Hungary
– 06.30. Operetta Gala Concert | Eger, Hungary
– 09.09. Chinese Hungarian 70th Diplomatic Relationship Anniversary | Huaxing Art Group | Budapest, Hungary
– 09.10. Chinese Hungarian 70th Diplomatic Relationship Anniversary | MÜPA Budapest | Budapest, Hungary
– 11.08. Budapest Congress Center | Budapest, Hungary
– 11.14. Budapest Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music | Budapest, Hungary
– 11.28. University of Pecs | Teachers’ Concert | Faculty of Art | Pecs, Hungary
– 12.14. The Magic Flute | Director: András Almási-Tóth | Conductor: Ádám Medveczky | Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music | Budapest, Hungary | The Queen of the Night
2020
– 01.22 NEUMARK ZOLTÁN ÉS ZHANG YU CAROLYN KONCERT FÉSZEK CLUB
– 05.26 KÍNAI ÁLLAMI ONLINE CONCERT
– 10.20 THE 13 TH CHINA INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ARTS FESTIVAL | CCTV BROADCAST
– 12.22 CIVIL RÁDIÓ INTERJU
2021
– 01.31 KÍNAI ÁLLAMI ÚJEVKONCERT ONLINE
– 02.09 SPIRIT RADIO INTERJÚ WITH CHINA MEDIA GROUPS
2022
– 10.21 PESZGŐZZÜNK AZ OPERETT NAGYJAIVAL
– 06.10 MORE THAN NEIGHBORS – THE HUNGARIAN CULTURAL WEEK IN BRATISLAVA,
– 06.12 ARPEGGIO GUITAR BAND’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT, GÖDÖLLŐ, HUNGARY
– 04.27 ARIAS AND SONGS MUSIC IN OUR CULTURE: CULTURAL EXCHANGE CONCERT. (SZEGED NATIONAL MUNICIPALITIES SZEGED, HUNGARY)
– 12.18 ADVENT CONCERT, GYÖNGYÖSTARJÁN, HUNGARY
– 12.17 ADVENT CONCERT, DORMÁND, HUNGARY
– 12.14 JÓTÉKONYSÁGI OPERA GÁLAKONCERT – HÁROM NŐI JÓTÉKONYSÁGI KLUB
– 04.11 OPERA STARS: NATIONAL THEATER OF SZEGED, SZEGED, HUNGARY
2023
– 01.13. NEW YEAR’S CONCERT: DUNAKESZI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, DUNAKESZI, HUNGARY
– 01.08. NEW YEAR’S CONCERT: DUNAKESZI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, VÁC, HUNGARY
– 04.14. Virágok Kínából | Karácsond Önkormányzat
– 05.02. “MUSIC IS FOR EVERYONE!” | Piano: Júlia Arnoczky | May 2, 2023 | House of Nationalities, Szeged
– 06.24. “China Cultural Day” | Móra Ferenc Museum | Szeged
– 10.30. “Linked Hearts: 10 Years of the New Silk Road” | Móra Ferenc Museum | Szeged
– 12.06. St. Nicholas Day Concert | Accompanied by: The Gonda Music Band | A JÁSZÁROKSZÁLLÁSI SZENTHÁROMSÁG TEMPLOM
– 12.20. Advent Concert | GONDAMUSIC band | St. James the Apostle Church
2024
– 01.12. New Year’s Concert | Dunakeszi | Dunakeszi Symphony Orchestra | Conductor: Pál Farkas