Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra To Tour Switzerland With Leading Chinese Composer And Conductor Tan Dun

By: Jan. 21, 2019
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Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra To Tour Switzerland With Leading Chinese Composer And Conductor Tan Dun

Renowned Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun leads the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) in three fiery concerts across Switzerland January 25-27, 2019. The concerts begin on January 25 in Geneva (Victoria Hall) where the artists then wind their way to Zürich (Tonhalle Maag) the following day and finish on January 27 in Lucerne (KKL, Kultur- und Kongresszentrum).

The program features Dun's own Farewell My Concubine - Symphonic Poem for Piano and Qingyi (a Peking Opera Soprano). Dun composed the double concerto as a 120-year anniversary work in celebration of Peking Opera Legend, Mei Lanfang, known for his female lead roles. Of this work Dun notes, "To me, the piano is the most universal instrument in the world, and the piano connects to Peking Opera because it is China's national opera. These two art forms each carry musical and theatric elements from East and West. The artistic and philosophical significance is very enticing." This performance features "sublime" Dutch pianist, Ralph van Raat alongside qingyi, Wenqing Lian. GSO gave the world premiere of the work in Guangzhou in July 2015 with pianist Yuja Wang and Maestro Long Yu.

Also featured is Chinese composer Ren Tongxiang's 100 Birds Flying Towards the Phoenix, arranged for suona and orchestra by Guan Xia. Wenwen Liu, a 13th-generation suona player, shines as the soloist playing the Chinese double-reed woodwind instrument, which most closely resembles a short and thin oboe. Arguably the most famous Chinese work for suona and orchestra, 100 Birds Flying Towards the Phoenix incorporates folk tunes from Tongxiang's homeland with dazzling suona solos that imitate bird calls.

Stravinsky's famed "Feu d'artifice" (Fireworks) and "L'oiseau de feu" (Firebird) Suite (1919) act as bookends for the vivacious program.

For more details about the performances and to purchase tickets, please visit:

• January 25, Geneva
• January 26, Zürich
• January 27, Lucerne

About Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra
Since its founding in 1957, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) has developed into one of China's most prestigious orchestras in its breadth of organization and standard in performance. It is the first and only Chinese symphony orchestra to have toured and performed on five continents. The GSO is also one of the very first orchestras in China to institute a professional concert season. Maestro Long Yu, the current music director since 2003, is a preeminent Chinese conductor of international renown.

About Tan Dun
The world-renowned artist and UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun, has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical music, multimedia performance, and Eastern and Western traditions. A winner of today's most prestigious honors including the Grammy Award, Oscar/Academy Award, Grawemeyer Award, Bach Prize, Shostakovich Award, and most recently Italy's Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, Tan Dun's music has been played throughout the world by leading orchestras, opera houses, international festivals, and on radio and television. As a conductor of innovative programs around the world, Tan Dun has led the China tours of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Japan's NHK Symphony Orchestra. His current season includes leading the Orchestre National de Lyon in a five-city China tour, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in a four-city tour of Switzerland and Belgium as well as engagements with the Rai National Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra where he was recently named Artistic Ambassador. Tan Dun currently serves as the Honorary Artistic Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra

 

 

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