Year rolls over to Beethoven

Symphony No 9 is the last complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, finished in 1824 when the composer had turned completely deaf. The work is performed by orchestras around the world and is widely considered a symbol of hope, unity and fellowship.

During the opening concert of the 20th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, the capital's largest annual festival of dance, music, drama and art, the masterpiece will be performed by the Tokyo Opera Singers and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra at the National Center for the Performing Arts on Jan 6.

Under the baton of Japanese conductor Michiyoshi Inoue, Chinese tenor Shi Yijie, Chinese mezzo-soprano Zhu Huiling, Japanese baritone Takaoki Onishi and Japanese soprano Eri Takahashi will join in the concert to perform the choral finale.

From Jan 6 to Feb 4, the Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, which has named Japan as its guest country of honor, will see more than 700 artists from 11 countries gather in the capital.

"In 2020, the world will celebrate Beethoven's 250th birthday, and Symphony No 9 is a work that is important to people all over the world," says Tan Ziqiang, director of special events at the China Performing Arts Agency, the organizer of the festival. "We have Chinese and Japanese artists performing together in a concert that pays tribute to the great composer, celebrates friendship and welcomes in the new year."

Tan adds that the concert will also showcase another piece, Olympic Fanfare and Theme, composed by John Williams. The work, which has become a classic, was commissioned by the Los Angeles Olympic Committee from the composer in 1994. The piece won a Grammy for Williams and became one of the most well-known musical themes in the history of the Olympic Games.

"From 2020 to 2022, the Meet in Beijing Arts Festival will have an Olympic theme, since Tokyo will host the Olympic Games in 2020 and the Olympic Winter Games will take place in Beijing in 2022," says Tan. "This piece reminds you of the spirit of the Olympics."

"It will be my first time performing with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra," says Inoue, 73, who is also a pianist. "I have many Chinese friends who introduced me to this great country. I am looking forward to performing at the concert with this legendary piece, which offers a message of peace and love."

Like the conductor, the Tokyo Opera Singers is also making its China debut and performing with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra for the first time. The Japanese choir came into being after conductor Seiji Ozawa requested a "world-class chorus" for the occasion of the 1992 production of Richard Wagner's opera Der Fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Since 1993, the choir has been performing regularly across Japan. For the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the choir represented Japan and sang the choral finale from Beethoven's Symphony No 9 with musicians from six other countries. In 1999, they made their appearance at the Edinburgh Music Festival, performing in a Tokyu Bunkamura production of Turandot.

Chinese tenor Shi Yijie is no stranger to Beethoven's Symphony No 9. The Shanghai-born tenor graduated from the Toho College of Music in Tokyo and has performed with many Japanese orchestras and choirs, from the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra to the Tokyo Opera Singers.

"When I studied in Japan, I performed Beethoven's Symphony No 9 as a member of the choir of the Toho College of Music. Last year, I performed the piece again in Shanghai," says Shi. "Tokyo Opera Singers is one of the best choirs in Japan and they perform Beethoven's Symphony No 9 every year."