Beijing Symphony opens season with Mozart

Beijing Symphony Orchestra launched its 2026-27 season on Sept 6, opening with a concert centered on Mozart and unveiling a program designed to trace the development of orchestral music from classical masters to contemporary works.

Titled "A Century of Giants", the new season features 20 concerts at venues including Beijing Concert Hall, the National Centre for the Performing Arts and Beijing Performing Arts Centre.

The opening concert featured soprano Yu Guanqun performing arias and overtures from Mozart's operas, followed by the composer's Symphony No 41, known as the Jupiter. Music director and principal conductor Yang Yang conducted the latter from memory.

The season's title takes its cue from the two works that bookend the program: Mozart's Jupiter Symphony at the opening and Mahler's Symphony No 1, Titan, at the closing concert.

At a season launch event, Yang said that the idea of the "giants" refers both to towering figures in music history and to the orchestra's efforts to build on the achievements of earlier generations while continuing to develop its own musicianship.

The season will combine canonical works from the classical period with contemporary music and Chinese compositions. It will also include concert performances of opera, chamber music and cross-genre collaborations, giving the orchestra opportunities to work across different musical forms and styles.

Li Changjun, head of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, said the ensemble would continue to draw on its base in the capital while seeking to develop programs that connect Beijing's cultural character with Chinese and international musical traditions.