After a health ordeal, Jiang Menglei still chose to return to her beloved stage! She was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, which put her at risk of sudden death and stroke. She traveled to Singapore to undergo a sublingual nerve stimulator implant surgery. Despite still being in the recovery period after surgery, she decided not to cancel her concert and will perform for the first time with her old partner of over 40 years, Kang Qiao, on October 27 at the Genting Resort Arena of Stars in the "'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' Kang Qiao & Jiang Menglei Genting Concert."
Jiang Menglei revealed that she currently has a medical device implanted in her body and is still under observation, so she cannot make any large movements or open her mouth wide for now to avoid affecting the wound or the position of the device. Therefore, the dance portions of the concert will be kept to light swaying. She admitted that doctors had suggested she postpone surgery until after the concert, but she worried her condition would worsen and insisted on having the treatment first. "Of course I cried, but life must have goals. I still want to stand on stage and share the feelings and songs I've accumulated over the years with my fans. I don't want to be left with regrets because of an unexpected health crisis."
Talking about the surgery process, Jiang Menglei also shared a thrilling experience. Before entering the operating room, the anesthesiologist informed her that the surgery might come with the risk of stroke or heart attack and asked if she was willing to proceed. Faced with the unexpected reminder, she admitted she froze for a moment but quickly adjusted her mindset, kept telling herself it was standard hospital procedure, "I was already lying on the operating table, so just go ahead!" She said with a smile that she had to constantly give herself pep talks, believing she was receiving treatment in a safe environment, and bravely completed the surgery in the end.
She admitted that the real reason she made up her mind to get surgery was that she didn't want to face the risk of a stroke, and she was most worried about a stroke, not the surgery itself. "Sudden death or stroke—those two things made me decide I definitely had to get the surgery. I hope that if anyone suspects they have an issue, they'll get a sleep test early." She confessed that after the operation, she hopes to gain herself another ten years. "Whether the next ten years will bring other illnesses, or maybe I'll get healthier, I don't know, but I'll do my best to make them count."
Regarding his partner’s condition, Kang Qiao admitted that he originally planned to take on more of Jiang Menglei's work during the concert, but she wouldn't allow it. "She’s a workaholic who insists on doing everything herself." He also got sentimental, recalling that in the past forty-plus years, it's Jiang Menglei who has always looked after him on and off stage: "I'm a very introverted person. Without her by my side, I’d really be scared." It was only after seeing her post-surgery condition with his own eyes that he realized her illness was more serious than he imagined, and he felt guilty for jokingly telling her to "take the opportunity to rest a little" in the past. To be safe, he specially prepared four "backup songs" in case Jiang Menglei’s stamina can’t hold up, but Jiang Menglei laughed and said: "I won’t let him have the chance to use those four songs."
Having known each other for over 40 years, Kang Qiao and Jiang Menglei are finally teaming up as "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" for their first concert together. In addition to recreating classic Huangmei operas, the "Liang Shanbo" series, and their signature duets, they will also sing patriotic songs, Japanese songs, English songs, as well as classics like "Ni Lai Ni Lai Ah" and "Gatun Boni." Kang Qiao emphasized that the concert will not be "cut corners" due to Jiang Menglei's health—costumes, production, and live performance standards will all be maintained. To accompany the concert, the organizers are also releasing a limited collector’s edition of "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" CD featuring their classic works. At the press conference, the two even gave an impromptu performance of "Ai Ni Shou Qian Shou" and "Shou Qian Shou," showing off their years of chemistry. As for whether an extra show will be added, Jiang Menglei said it depends on the Genting schedule and market reaction: "If there can’t be an extra show this year, I hope we’ll have the chance next year."
The "'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl' Kang Qiao & Jiang Menglei Genting Concert" will be held at 6 PM on October 27 at Genting Resort Arena of Stars. Ticket prices are VIP RM168, PS1 RM128, and PS2 RM88. Tickets will go on public sale from August 10 and can be purchased at RWGENTING.COM and ETIX.MY, inquiry phone: 016-7001751.