Yu Long, the president of Beijing Music Festival Artistic Committee. [Photo/cri.cn]

The Metamorphosen performed by Munich Philharmonic Orchestra at Beijing’s Poly Theatre ushered in the 17th Beijing Music Festival on Oct 9. Three of the world’s top symphony orchestras, the Munich Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris will gather at Beijing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Richard Strauss, the renowned German composer. The theme of this years’ music festival is “Richard Strauss in Beijing”.

“If there is something that can entertain people in smoggy Beijing, it must be music” Yu Long, the president of the Beijing Music Festival Artistic Committee said at the press conference. To extend Chinese audiences’ horizon and strengthen cultural exchanges between China and western countries, this event is using the anniversary of Richard Strauss’ music as an opportunity to make German classical music available to Chinese audiences. The opening music concerts on Oct 9 and 10 were hosted by the Munich Philharmonic. The 120-year-old music group made its first appearance at the Beijing Music Festival.

Audiences will enjoy 19 performances that included opera, symphony, chamber music and solo performances from Oct 9 to 31. They also went to children’s concerts, lectures and parent-children activities. Tickets were priced low to allow more people to attend.

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