Soprano Qiu Shuwei from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and U.S. pianist Zachary Deak perform at the Carter Center in Atlanta, the United States, on Jan. 29, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Jianmei)

　　ATLANTA, the United States, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Nestled in the heart of Atlanta, the Carter Center witnessed on a serene evening a meeting of music and ink paintings, intertwined in a moment of cross-cultural resonance.

　　Centered on the concept "Sound as a Bridge: Cross-Cultural Dialogue," the concert, accompanied by an exhibition of ink paintings by Chinese contemporary artist Wu Limin, kicked off the two-day Jimmy Carter Forum on U.S.-China Relations 2026 on Thursday.

　　Soprano Qiu Shuwei from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and U.S. pianist Zachary Deak performed art songs in four languages -- Chinese, English, French and Italian. Above the stage, a multimedia screen displayed Wu's expressive ink paintings, infusing the music with a distinctive Eastern aesthetic.

　　The interweaving of sound and image offered the audience a synesthetic artistic experience, in which music could be "seen" and painting could be "heard."

　　According to Qiu, this marked the first time she had presented a concert with Wu's ink paintings as a visual backdrop on a U.S. stage, and the fourth such collaboration overall, following earlier performances in southeastern China.

　　Qiu told Xinhua that the repertoire was more classical and more cross-disciplinary, featuring Italian operatic arias, French art songs, British and American vocal works, as well as two art songs inspired by ancient Chinese poetry.

　　The program, she said, was designed to allow audiences to experience how music transcends linguistic boundaries and fosters connection.