Lost in Venice

Commemorate to the 100th Anniversary of Benjamin Britten's Birth

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Concert Hall

Dates: Aug. 03, 2013

Duration: approximate 95 mins (intermission included)

Price: VIP/400/350/300/200/100/80 RMB

Conductor

Zhang Guoyong

Zhang Guoyong graduated from Department of Conducting, Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1983, and was granted with PhD of Music by Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1997. He was in succession supervised by the famous conductor and musical educator Professor Huang Xiaotong and famous Russian conductor Rozhdestvensky.

Mr. Zhang is presently the president and chief artistic director of Shanghai Opera House and permanent conductor of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In his artistic life, he has cooperated with many famous national and international opera houses and symphony orchestras and conducted and performed a series of classic works. Every year he has a lot of cooperation with many Chinese symphony orchestras and is quite active on national and international music stage.

Presenter

China NCPA Orchestra

China NCPA Orchestra was established in March 2010. As the orchestra in residence of China National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Orchestra performs regularly in NCPA's busy schedule of operas, ballets and concerts to great acclaim. Maestro Lu Jia is the Orchestra's current Principal Conductor. Maestro Chen Zuohuang, one of the founders of the Orchestra and NCPA's Artistic Director for Music, is honored as the Orchestra's Conductor Laureate. The Orchestra also engages Singaporean conductor Joshua Kang Ming Tan as the Resident Conductor. The Orchestra performs more than a dozen operas and ballets every year, together with about 30 symphonic concerts by the name of China NCPA Concert Hall Orchestra.

China NCPA Orchestra keeps an international standard for its artistic quality and management. The musicians are from various countries and regions including China and the US, and most of them have experience of working or studying in Europe or North America. Many artists have worked with this Orchestra, including Maestro Lorin Maazel, Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, and soloists such as Stephen Kovacevich, Wang Yuja, Ning Feng, Han-Na Chang, Leo Nucci, etc. Maestro Lorin Maazel has appeared with the Orchestra in several operas and concerts including La Traviata and Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and in his view it is 'an excellent, hard-working orchestra with great passion.' The Orchestra keeps close working relationships with Maestro Maazel and Maestro Eschenbach.

In 2011, China NCPA Orchestra performed in NCPA's productions of Tosca, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Die Fledermaus, and The Chinese Orphan. At the same time, under the name of China NCPA Concert Hall Orchestra,the Orchestra was also closely involved in NCPA's 2011 Gustav Mahler Cycle. Under the batons of maestros including Christoph Eschenbach, Lior Shambadal, Yoel Levi and Jun Maerkl, the Orchestra performed Mahler's Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10. In the same year the Orchestra also performed two concerts of contemporary music, with works from Takemitsu, Giya Kancheli, and a group of young Chinese composers. Mr. Kancheli himself attended the concert featuring his work. At the end of January 2011, the orchestra took part in Turandot (NCPA version) on the tour to Seoul Arts Center and gained high praise from critics and audiences.

Devoted to educational and outreach activities, China NCPA Orchestra has presented a series of Weekend Matinee Concerts since its establishment. With specially selected repertoire, high quality performances and extremely low ticket prices, these concerts have been warmly received.

In 2012, China NCPA Orchestra has performed in NCPA's production of Der fliegende Holl？nder and will perform in NCPA's production of Lohengrin. A notable list of artists including Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir Roger Norrington, Yan Pascal Tortelier, and Rudolf Buchbinder will perform with the Orchestra for the first time, and Maestro Christoph Eschenbach will also return to conduct the Orchestra in multiple concerts. The Orchestra is currently preparing for various tours overseas.

NCPA aims to build a world-class orchestra with operation and management conforming to global practices while incorporating Chinese characteristics.

Programme

Russian Funeral　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Britten

Suite from Death in Venice, Op. 88　　　　　　　　　 Britten

——Intermission——　

Symphony No.15 in A major, Op. 141　　　　　　　　 Shostakovich