The 29th Beijing Music Festival will open at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on October 9 and run through October 20. Attended by nearly 700 artists and nine well-known orchestras and ensembles from 32 countries, this year's edition will present 12 performances spanning opera, symphony, chamber music, and crossover forms. An in-depth dialogue on Chinese and international music industries is also scheduled.

Two classic operas from different eras will be staged. A newly produced version of Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" will run for two consecutive shows at the China National Opera House on October 10 and 11, and a semi-staged version of Handel's "Giulio Cesare" will be performed at the Poly Theatre on October 18.

The festival also makes room for world music and contemporary crossover practices. On October 14, multi-Grammy-nominated sitar master Anoushka Shankar will hold a special concert at the Poly Theatre. The closing concert on October 20, themed "Classical Rock", will feature rock and symphonic music on the same stage.

Beyond the concert halls, the festival will partner with Chaoyang Park, Taikoo Li Sanlitun, The Box, and other venues to host themed markets, pop-up events, and other activities. A curated "Travel with Music" itinerary will also be launched. The London Philharmonic will make a special appearance in Beijing. In collaboration with "Beijing Gifts", the festival will offer exclusive discounts for ticket stub holders, partnering with multiple businesses to provide ticket-stub-based privileges. In cooperation with Maoyan, the festival will launch a unified ticketing platform with special discounted tickets for students. A combined ticket will be offered in partnership with the Capital Museum's exhibition "Maize, Gold, Jaguars—A Grand Exhibition of Ancient Maya and Andean Civilizations".

This year's public programming includes open opera rehearsals, parent-child backstage experience days, and classical music-themed competitions, and more. Youth orchestras and ensembles recruited from across China will perform at the Shell Theatre in Chaoyang Park. Main-program concerts will be live-streamed online and broadcast elsewhere in immersive settings. The Capital Library of China will also host master classes and music appreciation sessions.

(Source: Official WeChat account of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)