Biography

Sophie Gopsill 卓见

Mezzo-soprano 女中音

English biography

Mezzo soprano Sophie Gopsill, (卓见 - Zhuo Jian) is a Chinese multi-talented mezzo-soprano with over 30 years of professional singing and acting experience. Born in Hong Kong, in 1950 her parents moved to China to conduct and direct western opera. Her father, famous conductor and composer Zhuo Ming Lee (卓明理), directed the Beijing National Opera House and the Harbin Opera House. Her mother, Deng Wan Sheng (邓宛生), who is a direct descendant of the aristocratic family of Deng Shi Ru (邓石如), the Qing Dynasty calligrapher, was operatic director. As a result, under her parents' guidance, Sophie was brought up on and around the stage and showed talent for music, dance, drama and art. In the early 60's the Cultural Revolution halted her musical education; her parents were sent to prison for being "intellectuals" whilst Sophie and her sisters were sent to hard labour camp for seven years on the Sino-Soviet border, living in primitive conditions in temperatures down to -40C in the winter. Music was put on hold as a result.

When the chaos subsided, Sophie became a member of a western classical music and drama group in China. During the 1970's she performed with Lanzhou Artistic Theatre and at the Harbin Opera House. In 1980 Sophie returned to Hong Kong and during the early 80's she performed in Hong Kong's City Hall and North Point Concert Hall, also on Hong Kong TV and radio. Sophie toured extensively in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, performing in live concerts, sports stadiums, on TV, radio and in opera houses and also for charity benefits.

In 1985 Sophie emigrated to the UK and for several years sang in Plymouth's Theatre Royal, Athenaeum Theatre, City Hall and Plymouth Festival. She was also a regular performer at the Plymouth Society of Music and sang at the Cheltenham International Festival.

In the late 80's and early 90's her career went on hold again, this time due to cancer and a brain tumour. In 1998 Sophie went to Naples, Italy for six years. Whilst there she performed at the annual Institute of Grenoble Music Festival, at the Maschio Angioino (Castel Nuovo), Salerno Music Conservatory, the Naples Community Theatre, at international functions and at the British Consulate. She also appeared as an actress in a well-known Italian TV film drama.

Since returning to live in UK, Sophie has returned several times to perform in Hong Kong under the baton of her late father, in both the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and City Hall. Most recently she was there for a big memorial concert for her late father. She has also performed at prestigious venues such as the Cadogan Hall, Church House in Westminster, the LSE and St Peter’s Church Chiswick. In 2011 she was invited as the main performer for the China National Day celebrations. In the south-east she has given many local concerts and recitals.

Sophie’s talents do not end there, as she has appeared as an actress in several films, and in photo shoots. She continues the work of her distinguished family ancestors in demonstrating calligraphy and reading Tang Dynasty poems to audiences. She also gives motivational talks based on her life story.

Sophie's repertoire is extensive, ranging from Chinese classical and folk songs to German lieder, through Russian, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish etc lyric songs. Possessing a rich mezzo voice, she is a truly international singer. Her early singing coaching came from her parents and Professor Shen Xiang (for many years on the judging panel for Cardiff Singer of the World competition) and his wife Li Jin Wei. In Europe, Sophie has been coached by Laura Sarti and Giovanna de Liso and her repertoire informed by Anja Kampe.

 

Sophie is a survivor, who is passionate about making up the years that were lost to her as a result of the Cultural Revolution and subsequent hardships. Her philosophy is to take any opportunity that life presents and she is a great believer in the power of music as a life-strengthener.

 

She is available for concerts, recitals, church and civil ceremonies and also supports charitable fund-raising events by negotiation; examples are Concert in the Square, Hammersmith and Demelza.

 

Chinese biography

女中音卓见(Sophie Gopsill)生於香港,年 幼時随於北京中央歌剧午剧院(现北京国家大 剧院)任指揮和“草 原之歌”的作曲家父亲卓明理和歌剧导演的母亲邓宛生(清 朝大书法家邓石如的后代)教授西洋歌剧的父母移居中国。在耳濡目染之下,卓见自小表現出強烈的艺术天份;在音乐,午蹈以及歌剧均很有出 色。於60年代, 前所未有的文化大革命夺走她的艺术生命,父母被抓走称为反动艺术权威,被迫之下她和两个妹妹下了东北的农村在那坚难困苦的岁月里零下四十几度住的是帐篷吃 的是半冻的粮食……, 就在这种情况下她的艺术生命并停止了。70年 代初文革以后,她又成为音乐午蹈团的 活跃份子,並且是兰州艺术剧院以及哈尔滨歌剧院 的成員之一。80年代初,离开中国返回香港,卓见曾於香港大会堂,北 角大会堂,及香港电视台和电台作多次演唱。她也曾於马來西亞,新加坡及汶萊的音乐厅,歌剧院,国家体育场, 电视台以及电台作不同的演唱及慈善演出。1985年,卓见移 居英国,她曾在普利茅斯皇家剧院,雅典娜剧院,普利茅斯市大会堂 和普利茅斯艺术节中参與演唱。此外,她亦经常參與普利茅斯音乐协会的演出,並曾於切尔圣汉姆国际音乐节

(Cheltenham International Festival)中演唱。

80年到90年 初,她的艺术生命又停止了,这次她得了癌和脑瘤。

1998年,卓見移居意大利拿坡里(拿坡里民歌圣地)。在當地6年期間,她曾參与每年一度的格勒諾布尔音乐节的演唱,也 於诺沃城堡,萨莱诺音乐学院,拿坡里剧院,英国大使馆,以及不同的国际性活动中演唱。除此之外,她亦曾为意大利著名电视剧担任女角。

2005年自从返回英国居住期间她又多次返香港在她父亲音乐家卓明理的指挥下并在香港文化中心和大会堂再次合作演出,最近卓见又返回香港在文化中心举办的已故父亲“永远怀念卓明理”的音乐会上做出演唱。她曾在一些英国知名的音乐厅和场所如Cadogan Hall, Church House Westminster 及伦敦经济大学(LSE)等演唱。她在英国东南部也多次举行音乐会。

卓见多才多艺 除了美术画画以外她也曾多次出现在电影界坛。为了传播中国的文化她受到祖先清朝书法家邓石如的学风影下响,不断地努力求学并展出书法示范和朗诵唐诗的表演 。

卓见的演唱曲目极之广泛,由中国民歌到艺术歌曲,及德文,俄罗斯文,意大利文,法文,葡萄牙文,西班牙文等之艺术歌曲。评论家说她具有抒情浑厚女中音的音色和她真是具有国际性的艺术家。她早期曾跟父母,沈湘(中央音乐学院教授)后期及夫人李晋伟学习声乐。在欧洲她与意大利声乐大师Laura Sarti (英国音乐院教授)及意大利歌唱家Giovanna de Liso 进修声乐。

卓见是一个从生命中挣扎和活过来的人,她坚信,路是人走过来的,理想是人创造来的,学习是无止尽的,音乐和艺术就是她的理想和生命。她认为只要有机会她都会去弥补过去的失去。

她坚信音乐的力量可以使人坚强的活着直到永远!

 

 

Copyright © Sophie Gopsill 2014