Life and Leisure
LSO coming to Beijing
By Gan Tian (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-27 15:55
 |
Large Medium Small |
The London Symphony Orchestra will give a concert at Beijing's Poly Theater. Kevin Leighton / For China Daily |
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), one of the world's leading orchestras, is coming to China once again with a concert at Beijing's Poly Theater on Sept 12.
Estonian-American conductor Ristjan Jarvi will take the baton, with Chinese cellist Wang Jian and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet being the featured soloists.
The repertoire includes three classical pieces, including West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, Piano Concerto No 1 by Franz Liszt, and Concerto for Orchestra by Bela Bartok.
This is the third time the LSO is performing at the Poly Theater, after 2004 and 2007. "As one of the most important orchestras in the United Kingdom and the world, the LSO has a long-time cooperation with us," says Cheng Rui, general manager of Poly Performing Arts.
The LSO will also tour Shanghai and Wuhan. On Sept 8, it will appear at Shanghai Expo Garden, performing for the visitors to the British Pavilion.
Some members will arrive early to give a free lecture on classical-music appreciation at Shanghai Oriental Art Center on Sept 6. They will share their music stories with 20 mentally disabled children.
Founded in 1904, the LSO was one of the first orchestras set up in Britain. It was also the first to hold concerts abroad - in Paris in 1906, and in the United States in 1912.
Nearly a century later in 2007, it visited China, opening a new chapter in the country's classical concerts scene. Its Beijing concert led to many other world famous orchestras coming to the country, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
LSO spokesperson Richard James says while there are many top performing troupes visiting London every year, posing stiff competition to the LSO, the orchestra always manages to hold its own.
Its past two appearances in China met with huge success, showing Chinese audiences' growing appreciation of classical music.
China Daily
