Charles Dutoit: Celebrating a legacy of mastery and discovery

At 90, Charles Dutoit has conducted some of the world's greatest orchestras and spent more than six decades on the podium. Yet he says music still has something to teach him every day.

"Music has been a never-ending source of joy in my life," the Swiss conductor says. "No matter how much experience one may have, music continues to teach you something every day. There is always more to discover, understand and share."

That sense of discovery will take Dutoit to Beijing on Oct 9, when he opens the 29th Beijing Music Festival at the National Centre for the Performing Arts with the Chinese Musicians Association Symphony Orchestra Alliance — BMF Festival Orchestra.

The opening concert pairs two contrasting musical worlds: Mozart's Piano Concerto No 22 in E-flat Major, K 482, with pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja, followed by Italian composer Ottorino Respighi's vividly orchestrated Roman Trilogy.

For Dutoit, the contrast is part of the attraction.

"Diversity and different styles work very well in programming, and I have always enjoyed mixing opposites," he says. "Mozart is probably my favorite composer. And Respighi is not only a very interesting work for the orchestra but also, I am hoping, a crowd-pleaser."

The program also brings together two musicians whose careers span generations.

Dutoit has held leading positions with ensembles such as the Orchestre National de France, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Verbier Festival Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and has worked with more than 150 major orchestras around the world.

His relationship with Chinese audiences has also developed over decades. Last year, when Dutoit was named Artist of the Year at the 28th Beijing Music Festival, the festival's founder Yu Long paid tribute to the conductor's enduring connection with Chinese music lovers.

"Over the past two or three decades, you have given our music-loving audiences countless unforgettable musical experiences," Yu said. "You are truly a giant in the world of music, and an admirable musician. We sincerely thank you."

The sentiment echoes Dutoit's own observations about the changes he has witnessed in China. After conducting in the country for about 30 years, he says audiences have become increasingly enthusiastic, engaged and knowledgeable, having encountered leading orchestras from around the world while also witnessing the rapid development of Chinese ensembles.

Leonskaja, meanwhile, is regarded as a leading interpreter of the Austro-German piano repertoire. Rooted in the Russian piano tradition while deeply connected to the Western European classical tradition, she is known for her powerful yet finely controlled playing and understated stage presence.