BEIJING, China (CelebrityAccess) Universal Music Group’s classical division Deutsche Grammophon, marked its 120th anniversary with a unique concert in Beijing’s former imperial palace, the Forbidden City.
The concert at the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was presented before the Imperial Ancestral Temple, or Taimiao, for an audience of 1,200 specially invited Chinese and international dignitaries.
Conductor Long Yu and Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov led a multi-national cultural collaboration of Deutsche Grammophon artists for the performance, including the Wiener Singakademie, the Shanghai Spring Children’s Choir, and soloists Aida Garifullina, Toby Spence and Ludovic Tézier.
The programme opened with a special arrangement for strings of Liu Tianhua’s Enchanted Night and unfolded with “November” from Memoryhouse – a seminal work of neoclassical composition by the world’s leading contemporary composer, Max Richter – performed by Norwegian violinist Mari Samuelsen and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
The gala was streamed via the Internet through YouTube’s 360-degree virtual reality and regular video formats.As well, Chinese streaming and internet service NetEase Cloud Music is offering a delayed live stream starting tomorrow, Thursday, October 11, 2018.
“The gala concert was unforgettable,” commented Dr. Clemens Trautmann, President Deutsche Grammophon. “The concert’s historic nature was enhanced by its iconic setting in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the walls of the Forbidden City. Those exquisite buildings echoed to the magnificent sounds of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Singakademie and an international cast of soloists under the direction of Maestro Long Yu, the first Chinese conductor ever to perform there.”
“We wanted to make a bold statement about the Yellow Label’s sense of tradition, its truly international mindset and its vision for the future of classical music, a vision that recognizes the appetite for cultural collaboration and for sharing the art form in China, Southeast Asia and globally. Our partners and lead sponsors helped bring an important and truly creative concept to life and we thank them,” Trautmann added.
The gala marks the launch of a year-long series of global events featuring Deutsche Grammophon recording artists.
