Chinese security personnel conduct drills outside the venue for U.S. music legend Bob Dylan's first concert in China in April 2011 in Beijing. (Photo : Getty Images)
American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, said he hopes to return to China but first wants to attend the Nobel Prize ceremony in December, China Daily reported.
Dylan's wish to return to China was relayed to China Daily by Barry Dickins, his longtime agent outside North America.
Dickins has worked with Dylan for more than 25 years, and he said in a telephone interview: "The Nobel Prize is a great honor. He (Dylan) kept silent after the announcement only because he is a quiet, private person. He doesn't want to court publicity,"
The 75-year old musician was also interviewed by Edna Gunderson for The Telegraph on Saturday, Oct. 22, in which he said he "absolutely" wants to attend the ceremony, "if it's at all possible."
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Dylan called Sara Danius, the Swedish Academy's permanent secretary, to inform her that he would accept the award. A statement posted on the academy's website said that the two talked for about 15 minutes and Dylan was quoted as saying that the news about the Nobel award has left him speechless.
Dylan performed in Beijing and Shanghai when he toured China in April 2011. His audience in China included those from the country's music circles and people who grew up listening to American rock and folk music during the 1970s and 1980s.
Gehua Live Nation promoted Dylan's China tour. Wei Ming, the former general manager of Gehua told China Daily that it was a "really a big challenge to make it happen. We overcame lots of difficulties. But we finally made it. It's the most unforgettable and influential project we've done. All the colleagues are proud of it."
While in China, Dickins said they visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. The musician also bought some Chinese art.
Now that Dylan has expressed his desire to return to China, Dickins said: "Dylan was very interested in going to China. He is the kind person who likes to play in different places, share music with different people. We also played in Vietnam. We had a very nice time in China."
"Touring China is unusual," the agent added. "When you bring a culture that is alien to a country, it's always a bit of a challenge. If you listen to Chinese music, it's very unlike Western music."
