The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) will pay tribute to Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng for the second time with As If She Were Here: Chen Jia Sings Teresa Teng at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS (DFP), KLCC, on 8 November 2026 at 3pm.
Following its first tribute to the late singer in 2023, the MPO returns to Teng’s repertoire in a programme that brings together Chinese popular music and orchestral arrangements. The concert reflects the orchestra’s continuing engagement with musical traditions beyond the classical repertoire, revisiting songs that have remained familiar to audiences across generations and cultures.
Teng was one of the most influential Chinese-language singers of the 20th century, recording approximately 1,700 songs and selling more than 48 million albums. Her repertoire extended beyond Mandarin to other Chinese dialects, Japanese, Indonesian, Italian and English, helping her reach audiences across Asia and beyond. In 1986, Time magazine named her among the greatest female singers in the world.
Familiar melodies in orchestral form
The upcoming performance will be conducted by Hong Kong-based Francis Kan, who returns to the DFP podium for the occasion. Vocalist Chen Jia also returns to interpret Teng’s songs, drawing on years of experience performing the singer’s repertoire.
Chen Jia is recognised for her interpretation of Teng’s vocal style and has been appointed an official artist by the Teresa Teng Culture and Education Foundation. Her performance will be central to a programme designed to revisit the melodies and emotional qualities that helped establish Teng’s place in popular music.
Among the songs scheduled for the concert are The Moon Represents My Heart, one of Teng’s best-known recordings, alongside Sweet as Honey, Walk the Road of Life, Evening Primrose and The Other Side of the Water. The programme will also include Jambalaya, May All Be Well and Ocean Rhythm, with the selections receiving orchestral arrangements for the MPO.
The concert offers an opportunity to hear Teng’s repertoire in a different setting, with the orchestra adding depth and scale to songs traditionally associated with her distinctive, understated vocal delivery.
Presented as part of the MPO’s season, As If She Were Here: Chen Jia Sings Teresa Teng takes place on Sunday, 8 November 2026, at 3pm at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, Kuala Lumpur. The performance revisits a catalogue that continues to connect listeners across languages and generations.
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