"One feature, or we can say innovation, of our version is the emphasis of the item crown," Lanbacka added, referring to a huge crown hanging midair on stage, which in his words is "the symbol of political power, the source of all evil in the play."
"What we will present at the Beijing Music Festival is a very special combination of global talent," said conductor Jari Hamalainen, who is also the art director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival. Hamalainen explained that the performance will combine costumes, stage design and direction from Savonlinna Opera Festival, a chorus from Shanghai Opera House and music from the China Philharmonic Orchestra.
"It is an interesting experience to work with these two local groups, which are both professional and experienced," Hamalainen added.
In the past BMF has attracted internationally renowned musicians and orchestras, including Christoph Eschenbach, Lorin Maazel and the Berlin Philharmonic. Highlights of this year's cast include Midori Goto, Pinchas Zukerman and Gary Graffman, presenting their classic music favorites.
The focus of chamber music is a noticeable feature on this year's agenda, with concerts performed by musicians and orchestras from across the globe. One of the most notarized chamber orchestras in the world, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, will work with Korean-American violin virtuoso Sarah Chang to present two concerts, one of the most talked about inclusions on the program.
Led by conductor and pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra will interpret Russian masterpieces including Rachmaninoff's Vocalise and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto No. 1.
"The concert will be an exquisite and expert presentation of famous pieces from the Russian repertoire," Yu said.
Besides presenting high-quality performances, BMF also emphasizes music education for the public. Each year the festival provides lectures and free concerts for music lovers and young music learners.
"This year, we are holding lectures with wider themes that are coherent with social trends," Yu explained. How the Economic Crisis Has Affected Music's Survival by Tseng Sun-man and Contemporary Music and Multiculturalism by Li Liuyi and Fei Jing are two highlights of the lecture series, which attempts to analyze and clarify the relationship between music and current society. The lectures will mainly take place in college halls, making it convenient to attend.
In collaboration with the Education Department of the Central Conservatory of Music, the festival also presents a popular master class series each year. This year, music masters Gary Graffman and Pinchas Zukeman will pass down some of their experience to Chinese learners, helping them to improve their performance skills and understanding of music.
BMF's free concerts are also a much-awaited part of the annual event. This year will see the introduction of folk music into the Community Outreach Concerts for the first time, with Shanxi Jiangzhou Drum Troupe performing The Spirit of China on October 26 at Poly Theater.
Cellist Zhu Yibing will lead his ensemble through an exciting musical journey for the BMF's Children's Concert and two performances will also be held at Peking University to better promote fine music among college students.
BMF runs from October 10-30.
Editor: Dong Jirong
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