Although you can't have the old-fashioned new year's fun of listening to the rattle of firecrackers in Beijing any more because they are prohibited, you can treat your ears to a variety of new year concerts that will be happening around the city.
Dozens of concerts featuring different styles will be given throughout the holiday season, making it truly a feast for local theatre-goers.
On New Year's Eve, the German Radio Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra will give a joint New Year's Concert at the Great Hall of the People.
This will be the fifth year that the Beijing municipal government has sponsored a concert of this kind, the first one taking place in 1997. The hope is that the concert will be of "world-class standard but with Chinese characteristics," according to one of the organizers.
The programme includes both Western classical and Chinese music chosen specially for the holiday. "It is sure to be a joyful and lively performance," said Li Xi'an, former president of the China Conservatory of Music.
The concert will star several widely known musicians, including the young but talented Chinese pianist Li Yundi, American violinist Sarah Chang, popular Chinese tenor Dai Yuqiang and American soprano Christina Andreou.
Tan Lihua, lead conductor of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, and Werner Andreas Albert, from the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, will conduct the China-meets-West concert in turn.
Born in Philadelphia, where she learned to play the violin at age of 4, Korean-American Sarah Chang, 21, is recognized as one of the most gifted young violinists in the world.
The youngest recipient of the Avery Fisher Award, she made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age of 8.
Chang's technique is impressive, but even more significant at this age is her ability to impose a very personal interpretation on the works that she performs.
"Her subtle use of rubato and her utterly unaffected way with the music results in a playful and charming performance that is a joy to hear," said music critic Li Cheng.
At the tender age of 19, Li Yundi has already had a formidable career.
Last year, he won first prize at the 14th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. He is the youngest first-prize winner in the history of the competition as well as the first winner of the prize in 15 years (the prize was not awarded in the previous two competitions).
Dai Yuqiang, whose fame has rapidly risen this year, will be another eye-catching star.
After co-ordinating with the Three Tenors during the Forbidden City Concert in June, he went to Italy to study with Pavarotti for several months. So both critics and fans are eager to see how he has improved.
After the concert, the audiences can also take part in a grand ball in the Great Hall of the People.
Music from Prague
The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra will give a concert under the batons of Czech conductor Vladimir Valek and Chinese conductor Wang Jin at the Century Theatre on December 30.
Founded in 1926, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is regarded as one of the pre-eminent and most recorded radio orchestras in Europe.
After World War II, the orchestra enjoyed significant artistic growth under the leadership of Karl Ancerl, Klima and Kromholc.
Valek was appointed to the post of Chief Conductor in 1985 and has led the orchestra to new artistic heights and wider recognition as one of Europe's finest radio orchestras.
Valek, 66, graduated from the Prague Academy of Performing Arts in 1962 and immediately began conducting many of the orchestras in Czech.
With great energy, he works on realizing his ideas about the ensemble's position and function. He believes it should not only serve the radio's programming plans, but also function as a perfect concert ensemble.
He has succeeded. The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra plays a significant role in Prague's musical life not only via radio but through an extensive series of sold-out live concerts in the famed Rudolfinum in Prague.
The concert will also star another Chinese conductor, Wang Jin, who is the guest conductor of the orchestra.
Born in Beijing, Wang studied conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, and in 1988, he went to further his studies at the Vienna Music Academy.
He also attended a master class with Zubin Mehta and was a private student of Leonard Bernstein's.
Winner of a dozen international awards, Wang also has conducted more than 60 symphony and opera orchestras all over Europe.
Now he also is the professor in conducting at the Swedish Royal University College of Music in Stockholm.
The concert will include Richard Strauss's "Thus Spake Zarathustra," Rachmaninov's "Piano Concerto No 2" and Dvorjak's "From the New World."
Peking Opera symphony
The China Philharmonic Orchestra will hold new year concerts on December 31 and January 1 at the Poly Theatre of Beijing, which will feature the Peking Opera symphony "Women Generals of the Yang Family."
This will be the second time since its founding in 2000 for the China Philharmonic Orchestra to hold concerts to celebrate the new year.
Commissioned by the China Philharmonic Orchestra, well-known composer Du Mingxin transcribed the music of Peking Opera "Women Generals of the Yang Family" into the form of symphonic music, which has aroused the interest of both music lovers and Peking Opera fans. The tickets for the two concerts were sold out a month ago.
Peking Opera artists Deng Min and Yuan Huiqin will sing the Peking Opera melodies accompanied by the symphony orchestra.
Besides "Women Generals of the Yang Family," the programme will also include Western opera arias.
Vocalists Huang Ying and Ding Yi will perform arias from "The Barber of Seville," "Romeo and Juliet," "The Troubadour" and "Rigoletto."
In addition, the orchestra will perform the overture from "Die Fledermaus" by Johann Strauss and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."
Conducted by Yu Long, artistic director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the concerts will be given jointly by the orchestra and the Third Troupe of the China National Peking Opera Theatre.
China Central Television will broadcast the concert on January 1 live to national audiences.
'New York night'
Five musicians will travel from New York to give a new year concert with the Liaoning Symphony Orchestra in the Forbidden City Concert Hall on January 6.
Sponsored by the United States and China Foundation, the concert entitled "New York Musical Night" has a connection to the September 11 terrorist attack.
"The performance will be magnificent and an open reminder that whatever happens, "the show must go on." It will be symbolic, in its own way, of the strong and abiding friendship - the Chinese and American people sense it - that exists between the people of the two countries," said Larry Lee, executive director of the foundation.
Established in the United States in 1992, the foundation aims to facilitate exchanges between America and China in such areas as politics, economics, law, education, culture, science and technology.
The concert will star conductor Niklaus Wyss, pianist James Lent, Mezzo-soprano Lori Brown Mirabal, soprano Anna Vikre and tenor Justin Vickers.
Acclaimed for the exquisite sensitivity and vibrant energy of his playing, James Lent is the winner of numerous honours and awards.
Both Mirabal and Vikre have sung a variety of roles in concert halls, opera houses and theatres throughout the United States and abroad. They have thrilled worldwide audiences with their mesmerizing stage presence and spectacular voices.
The orchestra will kick off the concert with Chinese composer Li Huanzhi's "Spring Festival Suite" under the baton of Wyss.
Then the three opera stars will sing selections from popular operas such as "The Magic Flute," "Don Carlos," "Carmen" and "La Traviata."
(China Daily December 28, 2001)
