Musical Feast Excites Beijing

For music lovers, Beijing can be the best of all worlds in October. This is a time of music festivals including the city’s international music festival, which features first-class domestic and foreign musicians who give splendid musical performances. The ninth in a row, this year’s festival will continue to focus on classical music.

Sponsored by China's Ministry of Culture and the Beijing Municipal Government, The Ninth Beijing International Music Festival will be held October 2Ð29. The festival will offer 26 performances under the theme: “Bringing Music to the Mass.” The festival has four parts: a commemoration of the 100th birthday of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, a commemoration of the 250th birthday of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Year of Russia in China and the Year of Italy in China.

About 1,000 musicians from more than 10 countries including the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy will gather in Beijing. The opening ceremony concert will be conducted by Valery Gergiev and performed by the Mariinsky Orchestra, where most of Russian’s famous operas and dance dramas have made their debuts since the 18th Century. “Stars” at this festival also include Italian conductor Riccardo Muti, cellist Mischa Maisky, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and more. The BBC Symphony OrchestraÕs performance will be a highlight of this year’s festival; they will be accompanied by the Promenade Concert (The Proms).

In addition to classical western music and opera, Chinese classical music will be stressed this year. Foreign bands and musicians are invited to perform Chinese music. The French violin master Augustin Dumay will perform Butterfly Lovers (Liang Zhu). The Germany Modern Chamber Orchestra, which will be visiting China for the first time, will perform the works of Chinese composers such as Tan Dun.

Highlights of the Ninth Beijing International Music Festival

The 9th Beijing Music Festival Grand Opening Concert

October 2, Poly Theatre

Mariinsky Orchestra, performer

Valery Gergiev, conductor

China-Russian Culture Year-A Night of Russian Music

October 6, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall

Barry Douglas, piano

China Philharmonic Orchestra, performer

Pavel Kogan, conductor

Augustin Dumay and China Philharmonic Orchestra Concert

October 22, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall

He Zhanhao / Chen Gang: Butterfly Lovers (Liang Zhu) Violin Concerto

BBC Symphony Orchestra I

October 24, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall

Elena Semenova, soprano

Jiri Belohlavek, conductor

BBC Symphony Orchestra II

October 25, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall

Jian Wang, cello

Jiri Belohlavek, conductor

Simply Mozart

October 26, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall

Camerata Salzburg, performer

Natalie Chee, conductor

The 9th Beijing Music Festival Grand Closing Ceremony: Giuseppe VerdiÕs La Traviata Performed by Teatro La Fenice (Opera in Three Acts)

October 27 & 29, Poly Theatre

W.A. MozartÕs Messa da Requiem--Performed by China Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir of Teatro La Fenice

October 28, Poly Theatre