Giving the gift of songs

To bring old poems to life through choral singing, a concert will be staged at the NCPA on May 24 and 25 under the baton of conductor Meng Huan, in which the China NCPA Chorus will perform music adapted from poems, such as Written on a Rainy Night to My Wife in the North, by Li Shangyin, a poet of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), with music composed by Meng Weidong, and The Lantern Festival Night, by Southern Song era (1127-1279) poet Xin Qiji, with music composed by Li Yan.

The Journey Like a Song, a concert conducted by Zheng Jian and performed by the chorus, will be staged twice on Nov 9 and 10 to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Contemporary Chinese music will be performed, including A New World by composer Shu Nan with lyrics by Wen Yi, and Aspire, composed by Yin Qing with lyrics by Tian Di.

As this year sees the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations, two concerts will be held on July 6 and 7 with arias selected from classic operas by French composers. Under the baton of conductor Li Xincao, the China NCPA Chorus will sing Angel Adorable from Romeo et Juliette by Charles Gounod, and Sous le dome epais (Flower Duet) from Lakme by Leo Delibes.

"The sound of choral singing can be intensely beautiful. There is a great choral tradition in the country, from young people in the schools to senior people in the parks," says Lyu Jia, artistic director of the NCPA and chief conductor of the China NCPA Orchestra. "With choral singing, we can learn a wide range of pieces from different cultures. We also feel the joy of singing through choral music, which, like dancing, is the most basic way of enjoying art and expressing ourselves."