Experience Chinese Choral History with Xian Xinghai's 'Production Cantata,' Oct 24

This Saturday (Oct 24), Beijing's International Festival Chorus presents Xian Xinghai's Production Cantata alongside the International Festival Children's Choir. Xian Xinghai (pictured above, right) is best known for the Yellow River Cantata, upon which the Yellow River Concerto for piano and orchestra is based. The chorus is excited to explore his other, comparatively unknown and unexplored work in their performance. 

Songs in the first half of the concert come from various different genres, include a rendition of the well-known Mongolian folk song "Mu Ge" by Qu Xixian, Li Shutong's "Spring Outing," and an arrangement of the famous "Molihua" (which every student of Chinese will have sung at least once during their Chinese studies) by successful composer Chen Yi.
 

The evening is an introduction to China's choral music and its development as well as a showcase of the different types of choral music that have developed throughout China, and how these elements have combined to create larger-scale works. 

The performance is at the PLA Concert Hall starting at 7.30pm at 100 Changzhi Lu, close to Chedaogou Station (Line 10). Check out the IFC's website to buy tickets at RMB 80-380.

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Images: arts.cultural-china.com, courtesy of the IFC