On the evening of September 16th, Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and Madam Hu Pinghua attended China Night Concert, a joint production of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the China Philharmonic Orchestra, at Barbican Centre, London. In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the concert, conducted by Xu Zhong, General Director of Shanghai Opera House, along with piano virtuoso Wan Jieni, presented four Chinese symphony masterpieces, i.e. China Overture, Yellow River Concerto, Sketches of Mount Qian and The Five Elements. More than 200 guests from the UK government, industry and commerce, culture and education sectors attended the pre-concert reception, and over 1,200 audience watched the performance.

Ambassador Liu delivered a speech. He noted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 65th anniversary of China-UK diplomatic relationship at the chargé d’affaires level. In this important and special year, the concert is of special significance because it will play three special notes:

First, it will play the note of progress. “The four pieces in tonight’s programme were composed over a period that spans nearly a century. They range from a sorrowful cry of a nation struggling for independence and a hearty praise of the beautiful homeland to a profound reflection on the time-honoured history. They sing about the Chinese culture, heritage and ideals. And they tell the stories of the resilience and relentlessness of the Chinese people”, Ambassador Liu said.

Second, the concert will play the note of mutual learning and integration. Symphony was born in the West, but it can tell China’s stories. Tonight, the Chinese and British artists join hands to present a grand feast of music featuring comprehension, integration and appreciation, and their performance will enhance the exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.

Third, the concert will play the note of exchanges and win-win cooperation. It is both the fruition of the cooperation between top Chinese and British orchestras and a vivid example of the mutually-beneficial cooperation between China and the UK. With the joint efforts of the cultural and art communities of the two countries, China-UK cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation will produce more fruits and deliver more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

James Williams, Managing Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra said in his speech that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is delighted to join the orchestras from Philadelphia, Milan, Tokyo, Toulouse and St. Petersburg in celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with joint productions with the China Philharmonic Orchestra. The music tonight will bear witness to China’s important contribution to classical music. Over the past 25 years, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has visited China on different occasions and built close partnerships with the Chinese orchestras, artists, audiences and education organizations. He extended his welcome to the Chinese orchestras to visit the UK and perform at the most prestigious venues. He added that music is the universal language that goes beyond cultural barriers, and tonight’s concert will further forge UK-China cultural exchanges.

Founded in 1946 and granted a Royal Charter by the Queen in 1966, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has been at the forefront of music-making in the UK. It has worked with the world’s greatest music masters including Stravinsky, Walter Weller, André Previn, Menuhin and Ashkenazy etc. Its commitment to delivering the finest art has world-wide reputation.

China Night with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is the first of the concerts of the international cooperation project between world famous orchestras and the China Philharmonic Orchestra. It is sponsored by the China Philharmonic Orchestra and organized by Wu Promotion. Besides the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 2019 China Night project will also join other world-famous orchestras, including Philadelphia Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, La Scala Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic and Orchestrenational du Capitole de Toulouse to put on performances across the world in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.