SHENZHEN, China, May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This article is written by Duncan Gordon from Zhejiang Jumore E-commerce Co., Ltd. Below is the full content for your reference.
The leafy streets of Shenzhen in spring provided the perfect backdrop to the 2017 Belt and Road International Music Festival. 720 artists from 30 countries descended on south China's city of innovation and energy to showcase different musical styles from around the world.
On the opening night, the Belt and Road International Music Festival Orchestra took to the stage of the Shenzhen Concert Hall to warm applause, followed by conductor Hu Yongyan. After a spiritedly rendition of Dvorak's "Carnival Overture", the stage was set for the deep, booming notes of the solo baritone. The audience sat in awe as the Mongolian Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar filled the auditorium with his colossal voice.
That towering performance was followed by a suona (traditional Chinese horn) concerto by Zhang Qianyuan. Another highlight was the cross-cultural duet of the Chinese Opera classic "The White-Haired Girl Aria Tying the Red Ribbon", as the chemistry between the soprano Katherine Whyte from Canada and the baritone Yang Yang from China brought the piece to life. Whyte also received a fantastic reception for her flawless Chinese singing. A rousing choral finale of Beethoven's Ode to Joy was a fitting conclusion to the opening concert.
On the summit of the Lianhuashan Hill the following day, Alexander Burggasser and Christian Birnbaum, two violinists from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, were taking in the views of Shenzhen's skyline prior to their concert. Discussing the importance of the Belt and Road International Music Festival, Burggasser mused, "Music allows people to think positively about things, both emotionally and intellectually. Understanding any kind of art starts a process of refining your thinking and that is a good thing however you look at it."
"Music is a language which everybody understands and gives you a power which encourages you to improve your life and the lives of people around you," Birnbaum added.
Han Wang Xi, Director of the Information Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, and Secretary General of the organizing committee of the music festival, said that Shenzhen and China wish to promote the exchange of cultures. "The Belt and Road is not a solo by China, but a symphony of all the countries involved," he said.
