The opening concert of the 2023 Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival was held at Shenzhen Concert Hall recently. Artists from all over the world performed together, presenting world-class musical masterpieces. The concert was divided into two parts with a total of 12 pieces, a blend of Eastern and Western cultures, as well as classical and modern elements. 

Photos by Hewang Ziyu 

The concert was started with the symphonic masterpiece The Steppes of Central Asia composed by Russian composer Alexander Porphrievitch Borodin. The symphony created in 1880 has been a guest of honor at major concerts since its inception. In this concert, the symphony was interpreted by Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. Russian melodies and oriental tunes harmoniously intertwined in the concert hall and resonated the Silk Road chapter.

Well-known conductor Ciprian Teodorscu, world-class soprano Angela Gheorghiu and Chilean tenor Jonathan Tetelman.

Photos by Xiang Shishuang

The first half of the concert was conducted well-known conductor Ciprian Teodorascu. World-class soprano Angela Gheorghiu sang two of universally appreciated pieces, "Habanera" from Carmen and "Ebben? Ne andro Lontana" from La Wally. The Chilean tenor Jonathan Tetelman presented two classic favorites "Mamma, quel vino e generoso" from Cavalleria rusticana and "Nessun dorma" from Turandot. French violinist Laurent Korcia performed the first movement of the violin concerto 1001 Nights in Harem.

The first half of the concert came to an end with Gheorghiu and Tetelman's perfect interpretation of "Vicino a te s’acqueta," an excerpt from the opera André Chénier, which delighted the audience.

Tar player Sahib Pashazade performs Cahargah Rapsodiyasi.

Photos by Xiang Shishuang 

The second half of the concert was directed by Lin Daye, music director and principal conductor of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. The session started with Cahargah Rapsodiyasi played by famous Tar player Sahib Pashazade, and was followed by Chopin's masterpiece Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante, Op.22 played by Krzysztof Jablonski, pianist and Academic Leader and Head of Piano & Keyboard at the School of Music of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, which led to the performance of Dancing Silk Road, a performance full of Silk Road flavor that was jointly performed by soprano Guo Sen, together with pianist Edoardo Turbil, violinist Laurent Korcia, and cello player Karen Kocharyan. They represented cultural exchanges and mutual understanding in form of novel, in-depth cooperation. 

Shenzhen-produced large-scale vocal symphonic suite Ode to Heroes.

Photos by Xiang Shishuang 

The large-scale vocal symphonic suite Ode to Heroes produced by Shenzhen, rounded off the opening concert of the festival. The vocal suite was created specifically to honor the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and was magnificent. Tenor singer Shi Yijie, soprano singer Guo Sen, baritone singer Liu Songhu, and mezzo-soprano singer Zhu Huiling, and Lanzhou Concert Hall Choir worked together tacitly and led the atmosphere of the concert to a climax. At the end of the song, the performance won applauds from audience for a long time. 

Xiaogang YE, director of Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival Organizing Committee, president of the Chinese Musicians Association, and dean of School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen, said the opening concert in the repertoire arrangement is unique. Among them, there was music theme medley from the Belt and Road countries, which was also the premiere in China. At the same time, the national musical instruments of Belt and Road countries were also played. The concert had a large repertoire and a high frequency of changes among the repertoire, which was like a musical “kaleidoscope” constantly rotating, enabling the audience to enjoy different musical colors.

Photos by Xiang Shishuang 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Participating artists said that music is an artistic language that transcends borders, and the opening of this festival fully reflected the Belt and Road Initiative to promote the mutual understanding of civilizations, reflecting cultural self-confidence.

Lin Daye, music director and chief conductor of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, believed that the scale and volume of this festival was "unprecedented." Compared with the past, the content was richer and more diversified, attracting participation of more artists from Belt and Road countries, reflecting the cultural great prosperity.

Talking about the cooperation between Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and artists from all over the world, the Tar player Sahib Pashazade was excited. He said that many artists, because of music, gathered in Shenzhen, a “City of Loving Music.” The civilization exchanges and mutual understanding could collide more wonderful "sparks."

Well-known pianist Edoardo Turbil used the word "surprise" to describe the opening concert of the festival. He believed that it was an excellent artistic experience to collaborate with musicians from different cultures and regions to perform eternal masterpieces. It was a surprise from him from hearing a "City of Wonders" to experiencing a "City of Loving Music."

The 2023 Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival is hosted by Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government and China Musicians’ Association, and is presented by Shenzhen Association for International Culture Exchanges, Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio and Television, Futian District People’s Government, Nanshan District People’s Government, Longgang District People’s Government,  supported by Luohu District People’s Government, Yantian District People’s Government, Bao'an District People’s Government, Longhua District People’s Government, Pingshan District People’s Government, Guangming District People’s Government, Dapeng New District Management Committee and Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone Management Committee, and is organized by the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. With the theme of Connecting China to the World, the festival will last until end of October with 59 international art feasts to be performed in 54 days in Shenzhen Concert Hall, Bay Opera of Shenzhen, Longgang Cultural Centre, Shenzhen Poly Theatre, Pingshan Grand Theatre, Guangming Culture & Art Centre and other places in the city.

The following is 2023 Shenzhen Belt and Road International Music Festival Event Schedule: