Forbidden City hosts record label’s 120th anniversary concert

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performs with the Wiener Singakademie and the Shanghai Spring Children’s Choir during a classical concert to mark the 120th anniversary of the world’s oldest classical label, Deutsche Grammophon, at the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing’s Forbidden City on October 10, 2018. Image: Greg Baker / AFP

The world’s oldest classical record label Deutsche Grammophon on Wednesday marked its 120th anniversary at a special concert in the historic Forbidden City in Beijing.

Once the seat of China’s emperors, the palace last played host to a classical music concert in 2001 when the Three Tenors — Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti — performed before a 30,000-crowd.

Under a crisp, cool sky, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Long Yu, opened the evening with an arrangement of Chinese composer Liu Tianhua’s Enchanted Night.

The 1,200-strong crowd took in a repertoire which included Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto.

Deutsche Grammophon president Clemens Trautmann told AFP that the Forbidden City was picked because of its significance.

“What I find really fascinating is that the Latin text written by Bavarian monks (that formed the basis for the Carmina Burana) came into existence around the same time as the Forbidden City was built in the 13th century,” he said.

“More fundamentally, Deutsche Grammophon has always been a very internationally minded label with a very diverse roster of exclusive artists and we want to foster cross-cultural dialogue here tonight and build bridges.” AB

RELATED STORIES:

‘Show must go on:’ Stranded in Europe, orchestra improvises

Dancing queen: Abba-period Cher has a new army of devotees

LISTEN: Avril Lavigne’s new single ‘Head Above Water’