Classical.
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Photo: NCPA |
When it comes to Western classical music, the East may be the world’s best hope for keeping the tradition alive for the next generation. As record sales and performances decline in Europe and America, China, “the land of 20 million pianists,” is ready to step into the void, and Beijing has positioned itself as the leader of the movement, with an impressive array of performance venues.
First among them is the recently hatched Egg, as the National Centre for Performing Arts is known colloquially. Following initial management and scheduling problems, the Egg has quickly emerged as the gravitational center of the capital’s classical music scene, hosting a steady stream of world-class orchestras and soloists.
The Century Theatre and Forbidden City Concert Hall provide more intimate settings for performances, and are long-established stops on the world tour circuit. The Century, with its steep banks of seating, is often host to smaller orchestras playing to a packed house, while the Forbidden City Concert Hall is more likely to showcase classical soloists in a hall known for its excellent acoustics.
The Poly Theatre, conveniently located in Dongzhimen, has been a pearl in the capital’s collection since opening in 1991. An upscale host to the annual Beijing Music Festival, the Poly is second only to the Egg as a classical venue, with the added benefit of a longstanding track record of organization and management.
With so many opportunities to enjoy Western classical music in the capital, not to mention the wide variety of Chinese classical music performances that all of these venues host, you may be heading to the symphony more often than you did back home.
National Center for the Performing Arts
2 Xichang'an Jie,
Xidan/Financial Street
west of Tian'anmen Square
Phone: 6655-0000
English Link: NCPA…
Poly Theatre
Poly Plaza, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie,
Dongzhimen
Phone: 6500-1188
English Link: Poly Theatre…
Century Theater
Sino-Japanese Youth Center, 40 Liangmaqiao Lu,
Nuren Jie
Phone: 6468-3311 ext. 3163
Forbidden City Concert Hall
West side of Tian'anmen,
Tian'anmen
inside Zhongshan Park
Phone: 6559-8285
English Link: FCCH…