Jose Carreras will sing in Chinese at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. (China Daily)

The annual "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival is approaching. Running in its 13th year, the festival will open with a grand performance by a prestigious figure in opera -- Jose Carreras. He has been to China many times, but the maestro never repeats himself, and he always meets expectations.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Spain and China, Spanish tenor Jose Carreras will do a solo concert at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on April 27th. The concert will also cut the ribbon for this year's " Meet in Beijing" Art Festival.

Carreras's long time partner David Gimenez will pick up the baton, conducting the Symphony Orchestra of the China National Opera House. The tenor will also sing a previously unreleased Chinese song with Chinese soprano, Wang Li.

Jose Carreras said, "I have performed songs in Chinese before, including 'A Place Far Far Away'. I have been touching up my language skills in preparation. It's an honor to perform in China and sing a brand new tune called 'My Beijing My Home'. Chinese people are friendly, and they make me feel at home here."

This multicultural performance is one of the many highlights of Meet In Beijing, which has grown into a major festival in Asia since its debut over a decade ago. This year's event features a collective showcase of Latin American culture in music, photography and stage performances.

It runs until the end of May.