Hao Jiang Tian's wild ride down a 'Roaring River'

If my feature article on Chinese-born bass Hao Jiang Tian on Sunday piqued your interest you might want to read his memoirs. I found it fascinating -- an quick read full of suspense. It also does a great job of moving back and forth in time as he tells his story, which is probably more of a complement to his collaborator Lois Morris. But form aside, the content is so compelling, how this man was able to overcome such astounding obstacles and make it in the ultra-competitive field of opera at such a high level. Obviously he has a tremendous natural talent, but hard work and a little luck helped.

I am curious, how many people remember hearing him sing Timur in Puccini's "Turandot" at Pittsburgh Opera in in 1994? I was not hear yet and I would love to know if he made an impression. Although nearly 40, he was still just beginning his career back then.

And don't forget: Marianne Cornetti is sponsoring Tian's talk/lecture/book signing at 3 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 2, in the Pittsburgh Opera building in the Strip District. It's free; call 412-281-3480 for more info.