To celebrate the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, the China National Symphony Orchestra(CNSO) will embark on a concert tour of France from October 8 to 16, organized by Wu Promotion. Several Chinese classics will be performed for French audiences.
The French tour will be the CNSO's third overseas outing this year. More than 100 artists will perform in three concert halls in France, providing a musical feast for an international audience.
It took more than a year of preparation and finalization to determine the destination, craft a suitable program, and create tailor-made performances with Chinese culture in mind for the French audience.
Lin Xi, the deputy director of the China National Symphony Orchestra said: "I believe the highlight will be the music itself. The music will be presented by some of the most talented artists in China and conducted by an internationally renowned conductor, and joined by some very famous soloists from China and France."
The performances will be staged in Toulouse, at the Grand Theatre de Provence, and the Paris Philharmonic Hall. World-renowned Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun will conduct each show throughout the tour.
"It's quite exciting because Toulouse is a very, very interesting, cultural place. It has all kinds of interesting musicians, music, and acts. Provence is the capital of a drama, and its theater is the center for all kinds of multicultural events. And Paris is specifically the city of music, and the home of the philharmonic. This is a new building designed by a very famous French architect, so we are very excited to share the music specifically in the voice of today, the voice of nature, the voice of peace, and the voice of friendship with music lovers in the three cities," Tan said.
Founded in 1956, the China National Symphony Orchestra is China's premier orchestra, with a substantial domestic and international presence. The musical ensemble is often seen as shouldering the responsibility of bringing Chinese music to the world.
"Our No. 1 mission is to maintain the momentum of this good relationship and introduce more of our culture to local audiences. Secondly, we want to have more musical cooperation with our French colleagues. And finally, we aim to introduce Chinese music to the rest of the world," Lin said.
Music is said to defy borders and transcend the globe, and Lin believes that this concert tour is an important opportunity to share Chinese culture with a global audience.