Galileo stars at music festival

The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, a Toronto-based group of performers of authentic Baroque instruments, is about to take Beijing's audiences on a multi-media concert experience, The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres, on Oct 22.

The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra combines Baroque music with narration by actors. Provided to China Daily

As part of the ongoing 13th Beijing Music Festival, the orchestra contributes this performance to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's telescope with a mix of music, words and high-definition images that comprise a compelling treat for the eyes and ears.

To ensure historical and astronomical accuracy, the orchestra combines the lavish music of the times with narration by actors of sayings by Galileo, Newton and other historical figures. Seamless choreography sees the musicians moving like stars and planets within a zodiac-inspired circle.

Founded in 1979, the orchestra has achieved international acclaim. It toured the United States and Canada in 2009 and this year with the project.

For their Beijing debut, the orchestra adds pipa, a traditional Chinese string instrument into the performances, and has invited Chinese actors to deliver the monologues.

"The biggest wonder of the show is integrating the music, words and images, like a balanced choir," says Tu Song, program director of the 13th Beijing Music Festival.

Tu, a clarinet player, says that he fell in love with Baroque music five years ago when he saw the orchestra's performance in Montreal. "From music to painting, the artistic style of Baroque is unique and has historical meaning," he says.

The festival, which runs till Oct 31, presents a series of world-class artists and programs of Baroque music for the first time in China.

"Baroque music has been ignored in China. We have no orchestra specializing in such kinds of music. No musicians can play Baroque instruments. But it's a style of European classical music that is over 400 years old So we want audiences to get to know it and enjoy it," Tu says.

He says the Chinese want to see more variety and that's what the music festival is about.

"We want our music festival to present this century-old music in a modern way which is easily accepted by today's audiences."