[Photo via VCG]

Following a two-year suspension, Beijing Great Wall Concert is now prepared to meet its audience once again. The "Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra at Beijing Great Wall Concert" is scheduled to take place at Wangjing Cultural Square at the Badaling section of the Great Wall on June 2 and 3, while the "Vladimir Fedoseyev and Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra at Beijing Great Wall Concert" will start at the same location on June 22 and will last until June 23. Liao Changyong, a renowned Chinese operatic baritone, Warren Mok, one of China's top three tenors, and Albina Shagimuratova, a soprano from the opera company of the Mariinsky Theater, will also sing on stage.

Gergiev has earned the affectionate nickname "Jie Fu" (which bears a resemblance to his Russian name and means "brother-in-law" in Chinese) from Chinese audiences. Meanwhile, Vladimir Fedoseyev, another highly esteemed Russian conductor, remains dedicated to delivering outstanding performances on the world stage. The Mariinsky Orchestra and Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra are among the finest orchestras across the globe. The concert in Beijing this time is Asia's first-ever outdoor classical concert conducted by Gergiev.

It is reported that both concerts have prepared pieces to be performed for the first time in China. Adding to the anticipation is the debut of Ivan Bessonov, a rising star among the pianists in Russia. Bessonov's performance during Beijing Great Wall Concert will feature the fourth movement of the Yellow River Piano Concerto (a classical one known by nearly all generations of Chinese people), which is titled Defend the Yellow River.

The Ode to the Red Flag performed by the Mariinsky Orchestra and conducted by Gergiev has gained significant acclaim from Chinese netizens as a new musical classic. This piece is specifically chosen by Gergiev as a tribute to the strong and enduring friendship between people from China and Russia.

Wu Qiong, a young button accordion performer from the China Oriental Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd., will team up with Russian artists to perform the beloved Russian piece Hawthorn Tree to show the continuous friendship between China and Russia, which is reflected by the strong bonds between young Chinese and Russian artists. Albina Shagimuratova, a soprano who holds the distinguished title of Merited Artist of the Russian Federation, will perform the Drinking Song (Libiamo ne' lieti calici), an excerpt from a famous Italian opera The Lady of the Camellias (La traviata) with the well-known tenor Warren Mok. Moreover, Mok is scheduled to perform the timeless classic The Great Wall Will Never Fall alongside Vladimir Fedoseyev and Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. At the forthcoming Beijing Great Wall Concert, Liao Changyong, an internationally acclaimed Chinese baritone will sing alongside Valery Gergiev, marking their first-ever cooperation.

For the ticketing of the 2023 Beijing Great Wall Concert, no ticket will be available for public purchase and a selected group of guests will be invited instead. The performances on June 22 and 23 will still be broadcast live, enabling audiences to enjoy the performances through the live-streaming platform of Weibo.

(Source: The Beijing News)