Wen Kezheng

Wen Kezheng (, 1929–2007) was a Chinese operatic bass and music educator. Known for his rich and deep voice, he has been known as the "Chinese Chaliapin" and dubbed by the domestic classical music community as the "King of Basses". As an educator, he is best known for his long-time association with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and headed the Department of Vocal Music and Opera. He also served as the fourth director of the Chinese Musicians' Association.

Early life and education Wen Kezheng was born to an intellectual family in Beiping. His first foray into singing was at a competition when he was ten. His music-loving father encouraged and nurtured his interest in opera. He pursued his studies at Nanjing National Conservatory (later merged with several other institutions to form Central Conservatory of Music) and graduated in 1950.

Wen continued a prolific career as a performer and established himself as a representative opera singer of the newly founded Republic. However, his career came to a halt due to the Cultural Revolution. Like many other fellow classical musicians, including soprano Zhou Xiaoyan, Wen and his wife were "sent down" and forced to leave Shanghai. The couple were sent to Fuyang, Anhui, then still a rural area mostly dependent on agriculture and light industry. Another anecdote exists which tells of Wen finding various excuses to defy the Red Guards and practice singing, including rallying workers at the factory he was working at into singing patriotic songs; so popular was he with the other laborers that they protected him whenever the Red Guards tried to beat him up. When the ban on classical music was lifted, husband and wife returned to Shanghai and resumed performing together and teaching. Subsequently, he gave a performance of a vocal serials “Life”, staged in Macao the following year.

Wen died on 19 April 2007 at a hospital in Beijing.

Personal life Wen was married to pianist Wang Qiu (王逑) from 1951 until his death. The couple first met in Nanjing where she had studied under famed pianist Li Jialu, who was also known as the teacher of another renowned concert pianist Gu Shengying. Wang would be the main accompanist for her husband in most of his concerts and performances.