Festival celebrates Sino-French cultural exchange

According to Xu Jian, general manager of the Forbidden City Concert Hall, four concerts will be held at the venue to celebrate the cultural exchange event, The Croisements Festival, which, in its 15th year, runs from April 21 to July 31 with more than 70 programs such as exhibitions, theatrical productions and movies. Besides Beijing, the event will also go to Shanghai, and Chengdu in Sichuan province.

On June 1, International Children's Day, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of conductor Yu Ji, featuring programs designed for younger audiences, including Joseph-Maurice Ravel's Mother Goose, an imaginative suite of fairy-tale pieces, and Saint-Saens' Carnival of Animals, one of the best known pieces of classical music for children.

On June 6, cellist Mo Mo and pianist Jin Wenbin will perform together in a concert featuring programs by Debussy, Francis Poulenc and Olivier Messiaen.

On June 24, DNA trio, a Chinese chamber music group celebrating its 16th year and consisting of pianist Zhang Jialin, cellist Song Zhao and violinist Zhang Jingye, will present a concert paying tribute to Camille Saint-Saens as this year marks the centenary of the death of the French composer. His most well-known pieces such as symphonic poem Danse Macabre, opera Samson and Delilah and Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso will be adapted into chamber music works.