As the oldest music festival in China and the golden business card of Shanghai culture, the "Shanghai Spring" International Music Festival has ushered in its 39th edition.
This music festival will be held from March 22 to April 14, covering 66 main performances, including 57 music performances and 9 dance performances. In addition, 10 special theme activities will be held, including 2 festivals within festivals, 3 collection activities, 5 educational achievement displays and colorful performances. The opening performance of the
Music Festival will be held at the Shanghai Symphony Concert Hall on the evening of March 22, launching the Pujiang Spring Tide·Starting a New Journey - a theme concert celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, performing Lu Qiming's piano and orchestra version "Ode to the Red Flag" and other famous classics, as well as outstanding masterpieces that have stood out in special exhibitions hosted by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Musicians Association in recent years, such as the orchestral "Bright Red Sun", the symphony "New Era", etc., were presented by Yu, the president of the Central Conservatory of Music. Feng serves as the conductor. As a themed comprehensive concert, the opening performance of
brought together a performance team of about 300 people from four major music academies and schools, including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Opera House, and Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Recall that at the opening concert of the 6th "Shanghai Spring" in 1965, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the Shanghai Film Orchestra jointly played Mr. Lu Qiming's "Ode to the Red Flag". Today, 59 years later, the four units work together to review classics and perform new works, which is of special significance to inheriting the urban music culture.
The works in the first and second half of this performance, "Ode to the Red Flag", "A Light Shines on Taxkorgan", "Bright Red Sun", "Sixth Erhu Rhapsody" and "New Era" were composed by Lu Qiming, Chen Gang, Zhou Xianglin, Wang Jianmin and Gong Tianpeng respectively. While promoting the theme of the times and displaying Shanghai originality, it also reflects the inheritance of three generations of musicians, old, middle and young.
The purpose of "promoting newcomers" is also highlighted in the musicians, and three new young musicians in Shanghai who have won the "Golden Bell Award" and other music awards - Zhu Jing, Wang Ruiyi, and Wang Shan will be the lead performers and singers. , the repertoire echoes the theme of "Cultural Enrichment of Xinjiang and Aid to Tibet". The
Music Festival will also organize a number of themed performances, such as the "New Era Symphonic Overture" concert, the symphonic suite "Light of the Liuyang River", the national orchestral suite "Forever Shandandan", and the chime and national orchestral "Millennium Silence" A series of themed performances such as the concert, the "North and South Tianshan" concert, the "Chinese Music and Painting" symphony concert and the national dance drama "Awakening Lion" show the beauty of mountains, rivers and culture in the form of art.
This year's music festival has a total of 24 international exchange performances, accounting for more than 30% of the total number of performances. It is the largest number, largest scale and richest content ever. The performance team comes from Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Russia, the United States, Japan and more than 10 countries. The performances in the international exchange section aim to further enhance the level of internationalization and are committed to building "Shanghai Spring" into a foreign cultural display platform with more international influence and global reputation. The closing performance of the
Music Festival will be held at the Shangyin Opera House on the evening of April 14. The Como Opera House in Italy and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music will jointly perform Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville" (including intermission) Up to 3 hours. This is the pinnacle work of the Italian composer Rossini, and together with Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", it is a comedy masterpiece.
According to Liao Changyong, dean of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music will serve as the artistic director and chief producer, Como will serve as the director, stage designer and conductor; the Shangyin Symphony Orchestra will serve as the band, and the Shangyin Vocal Opera Department will serve as the chorus. ; The cast is composed of outstanding opera artists and young opera talents from both China and Italy. Many of the actors are emerging performers who emerged from the first opera musical festival held by Shangyin Opera House.
In addition, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. This music festival joins hands with the Shanghai Foreign Cultural Exchange Association and the Consulate General of France in Shanghai to hold the "Sino-French Music Exchange Exhibition Season".Through Xu Zhong's performance of Berlioz's dramatic symphony "Romeo and Juliet", the French quintet musical comedy "Trout", a concert by the Royal Opera House Orchestra of the Palace of Versailles, and a concert by the French St. Mark's Chamber Children's Choir, etc. Various performances, as well as art lectures, master class forums and other activities promote cultural and artistic exchanges between China and foreign countries.
Among them, Berlioz's dramatic symphony "Romeo and Juliet" will serve as the opening performance of the "Sino-French Music Exchange and Performance Season" and will meet the audience at the Shanghai Jiao Tong Concert Hall on March 31.
More than 400 years ago, Shakespeare created his classic work "Romeo and Juliet". In the history of Western music, many famous composers have written classics for it, such as Gounod's five-act opera and Tchaikovsky's Fantasy of an Orchestra. Overtures, Prokofiev's ballets, etc. The dramatic symphony "Romeo and Juliet" by Berlioz, the founder of French romantic music, was composed in 1839 and is one of his most innovative and legendary masterpieces.
Xu Zhong, director of the Shanghai Opera House, will conduct the Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra and Chorus this time, and bring together Shanghai Opera House singers Yu Haolei, Wang Xiaoxi, and Yu Yang to recreate the classic with a performance lineup of nearly 200 people.
Music Festival is committed to building a national excellent program release and display platform, organizing and inviting outstanding artists and art groups across the country to participate in exhibitions, so that excellent music and culture from all over China can complement each other.
This music festival has received positive responses from major music and dance troupes in Shanghai: the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performed "Symphony Fantasy", the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra performed "Iberian Musical Style", and the Shanghai Opera House performed Berlioz's Drama Symphony "Romeo and Juliet", the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra performs the "Zero One | Chinese Color" concert, the Shanghai Ballet performs the original ballet "Light of the Earth", the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe performs the "Sounds of the Sea" themed concert, and the Shanghai Light Music Troupe Perform "Listen to Jiangnan" concert, etc.
It is worth mentioning that 2024 is the 60th anniversary of the premiere of the "Shangba" ballet "The White-Haired Girl". The performance will use "Shangba" young dancers aged no more than 24 years as the ninth generation actors of the work. Inherit the classics. In addition, this classic dance drama will be commemorated through various forms such as discussion reviews and photo displays.
At the same time, nearly 20 performances from art groups from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi and Xinjiang provinces and cities gathered in Shanghai.
Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra's "New Era Symphonic Overture Concert" is composed of 7 pieces of music composed by 7 old, middle-aged and young composers. From different cultural perspectives, it uses the language of symphony to tell the story of China's rapid development of reform and opening up; the large-scale symphonic suite "Liuyang" "Light of the River" uses 13 pieces of music to tell the moving story of the Liuyang River, reflecting the people's yearning for a better life in Sanxiang; the Suzhou National Orchestra's "Wuyue Spring and Autumn" symphony concert organically combines the regional characteristics of Jiangnan culture with the international expression of national music Integration brings a unique experience to everyone.
In addition to well-known artists such as Cao Peng, Liao Changyong, Yu Long, Zhang Guoyong, and Xu Zhong appearing on the stage, there are also "two new literary and artistic works" that are popular with the public and have great social influence, such as the new national trend Zide Qin Club and folk music performers. Fang Jinlong and "Internet celebrity" street singer Luo Xiaoluo will also perform on stage, allowing master classics and popular hits to bloom together.
This music festival will continue to increase its efforts to support outstanding original works and artistic talents. The exhibition projects of new artists and new works account for more than 40%, further demonstrating the vitality of originality.
For example, the "New Dream on the Sea·Sixteenth" Original Folk Music Concerto Concert selected 8 national original works from more than 50 works across the country to appear in the "Shanghai Spring" and play the strong voice of the era of national rejuvenation;
"Art Youth" will gather outstanding young pianists who have won awards in international piano competitions and China Music Golden Bell Awards to perform two-piano versions of "Ode to the Red Flag" and other piano works on the same stage, showing the charm of Chinese music and the style of young musicians;
The "New Dance Artists and New Works Exhibition" aims to discover and cultivate dance talents, lead and promote dance creation, and provide a platform for "display, exchange, learning, and creation" for professional dance groups and outstanding works in Shanghai. This year, 45 outstanding new works will be displayed. ;
Music Festival is also actively developing a more professional talent introduction and education platform.
For example, "Shining Star" provides professional music students from across the country with exchange opportunities in Shanghai, inviting outstanding students from the Central Conservatory of Music, Harbin Conservatory of Music, Xi'an Conservatory of Music, and Shanghai Conservatory of Music to hold four special performances at the Shangyin Opera House;
"Music "Rookie Series Performance" will hold special concerts for young musicians Cai Ying, Chen Yang, etc. to strengthen the promotion and support of young talents;
"Star Dream Set sail" will convene Shanghai student art groups to hold a series of performances to provide more hobbies It provides a platform for non-music majoring students to display their talents, assists music aesthetic education, and creates a full-stage music education echelon covering hobbies, majors, and top-notch ones.
Art benefiting the people is the eternal theme of "Shanghai Spring". In addition to the main performance venues in the city, this music festival will hold a variety of performances in suburban art venues such as Songjiang Yunjian Theater, Fengxian Nine Trees Art Center, Lingang Performing Arts Center, etc., such as the "Shanghai Musical Association Guzheng Special Committee" The Sound of Guzheng on the Sea - Concert of Guzheng Works", the Children's Music Committee's "Youth Music Special", etc. The
Music Festival will also cooperate with the Citizen Cultural Festival and other areas to carry out various public-friendly exhibitions, reviews, performances, lectures and salons and other people-benefiting activities in the "Five New Cities" and other areas. Organize artists and volunteers to carry out "music flash mob" activities with different themes to showcase the charm of China's excellent traditional culture.
In order to allow the majority of music and dance lovers to enjoy more exciting performances, exhibitions, etc., the music festival continues to promote charity ticket activities, and some events will launch 80 yuan charity tickets, discount tickets, etc. At the same time, representatives such as meritorious figures, the most beautiful volunteers, fire officers and soldiers will be organized to observe, feel and experience the performances and activities of the music festival, so that more citizens and audiences can enjoy the spring of art together.
