Concerts to lower curtain on Beijing Int‘l Film Festival

The 2012 Beijing International Film Festival will wrap up with two concerts by London's Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra (RPCO) to be held at the National Indoor Stadium on April 27 and 28. The RPCO will perform iconic songs from the soundtracks of various films.

Founded in 1987, the RPCO has built its reputation on performing light classics and popular music. It has been collaborated with many Hollywood films to provide the soundtrack to movies including the series of Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mission Impossible, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, as well as Jurassic Park and Titanic. The RPCO has also collaborated with numerous world-renowned artists including Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, Lesley Garrett, Bryn Terfel and Luciano Pavarotti.

The orchestra will be led by principal conductor Michael Sill, widely renowned as one of the UK's most versatile conductors. The associate conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) since March 2011, Sill has waved the baton at many prestigious concerts. The RPCO will be accompanied by 24-year-old New Zealand soprano and classical crossover specialist, Hayley Westenra.

The second Beijing International Film Festival is scheduled to run from April 23 to 28. There will be no competition section this year, and the festival will select a number of nominated or award-winning flicks from last year's international film festivals. The closing ceremony's concerts will embrace an Asian theme and take advantage of the lofty space at the National Indoor Stadium. Multi-media installments and a giant screen will also provide audiences with an intimate, interactive experience.