[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

To convey the profound friendship between the people of China and France, and as the European Music Festival unfolds, the China Cultural Center in Paris joins hands with China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater, along with Chinese artists in France and students at the center and will hold Poetic Fragrance from China: Traditional Chinese Music Concert, an online concert of traditional Chinese music on June 21.

Since COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan of China, renonwed cultural figures in France have sent out their timely support to China's fight against the pandemic. More than 300 artists and cultural workers have jointly issued a public letter, 40 theater performing artists lent their voice to the collaborative song Together, and players of the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club wore jerseys with "Be Strong, China" printed on them. When France met rising cases of COVID-19, the Chinese government provided tremendous assistance in shipping out medical supplies. Both countries played their due part in supporting each other.

At the concert, many revered folk songs of China will be performed, including the percussion piece Dragon and Tiger; Shanxi folk song Woodwind and percussion Watching Yangge Dance; the chamber music Korean Folk Songs; the chamber music Shining Snow and Rouge Flowers, a national intangible cultural heritage from the Tajik ethnic group; erhu and guqin Ode to the Deity, which was listed as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity; renowned Peking Opera number Deep Night, and a folk rendition of classic French songs La Vie en Rose and Les Champs-Elysées. Nearly 75 minutes of performance will cover some of the most well-known pieces from both China and France, with sounds that integrated the traditional and the modern to give the audience a true taste of the charm of traditional Chinese music.

With the support and approval of the 39th French Music Festival committee, Poetic Fragrance from China: Traditional Chinese Music Concert was included as part of the European Music Festival and was introduced to French audiences as a highlight of the festival. The festival, which was established in 1982, has gradually gained influence as one of the most important music festivals in Europe, attracting participants from nearly 120 countries and more than 300 cities to participate annually. This year, it will be broadcast live globally through media in Chinese, French and English on online platforms including People's Daily, CCTV News, Xinhua, Chinanews, China Daily website, China Culture & Tourism app and Cmedia TV, as well as social media platforms including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. The world can now appreciate the everlasting beauty of Chinese and French art and touch the youthful pulse in the cultural exchanges between China and France.