Though there are still several months to go before China celebrates the 2019 lunar new year, several organizations in Chicago just can't wait and they teamed up on Tuesday to present details for the Chinese New Year celebration.
Symphony Center Presents (SCP) of Chicago, the key presenter of the programs, announced that the fifth annual Chinese New Year concert will be held on Feb. 10, 2019.
The concert will showcase performances by the Hubei Chime Bells National Chinese Orchestra and the China National Beijing Opera Company, featuring traditional Chinese music and renowned singers such as Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu.
The concert at the Chicago Symphony Center will be part of the city-wide, multi-week Chinese New Year celebration activities, the fifth year for such a grand celebration in Chicago.
"The upcoming Chinese New Year celebration is very significant," said Liu Jun, acting consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago. "As 2019 ushers in the 40th anniversary of U.S.-China relations."
Liu further stated in an interview with Xinhua that under the current situation of U.S.-China relationship, it is even more important to enhance cultural activities and exchanges, for "music has no borders, and cultural exchange helps deepen understanding between peoples."
"Choose Chicago is thrilled to again be working with our partners at the Chicago Symphony Center to help present these exciting musicians and artists visiting our city to perform," said Choose Chicago President and Chief Executive Officer David Whitaker.
Whitaker said that tourists from China constitute a very important part of Chicago tourism, and the city of Chicago would like to attract more people from China.
"Chinese visitors are our ambassadors," Whitaker said.
"Our annual Chinese New Year Celebration concert has become a highly anticipated tradition at Symphony Center," said Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association President Jeff Alexander. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to present some of the best artists from China."
Alexander said that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra would take its sixth performing tour to Shanghai and Beijing in January 2019.
"We love going to China, and we feel that the audiences in Shanghai and Beijing genuinely appreciate our concerts," he said.
The concert in Chicago for the Chinese New Year celebration will feature the Hubei Chime Bells National Chinese Orchestra in the first half, presenting a program that will "transport listeners to ancient China with the rich tones of the chime bells."
Other traditional instruments featured in the concert include the Qing, a stone or jade chime; the Xun, a vessel flute; and the Se, a plucked zither.
The second half will feature Troupe One of the China National Beijing Opera Company. They will present three scenes from the Peking Opera repertoire that include instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics.
In addition, three local Chinese performing groups will stage a pre-concert show that will showcase traditional Chinese music and Qi Pao culture.
The 2019 Year of the Pig in Chinese lunar calendar will begin on Feb. 5.
