Beijing New Year Concert, a grand musical event for ringing in the new millennium, is to be staged in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the evening of December 31.

The grand concert, organized by Ministry of Culture, and Beijing municipal committee of CPC and government, is expected to be the best of its kind, featuring the world level, the momentum of the Chinese nation, the characteristics of Beijing and the festive atmosphere. The concert is going to be staged by such an array of artists incomparable both in scale and grandeur as never before.

As reported, the New Year concert is to be conducted by Tang Muhai, Chen Xieyang and Tan Lihua. An orchestra composing of 160 persons and a choir of 200 persons will be selected from the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Central Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, Beijing Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. On show will be such famous tunes and melodies at home and abroad as Triumphant March of Aida, Overture 1812, The Romanced Butrate, Ode to the Red Flag, I Love You, China! and so on. The audience can also enjoy the performances given by Lu Siqing, Huang Ying, An Ning, Wang Xia, Dai Yuxiang and a specially invited Italian tenor.

The evening of the New Year Eve will be dedicated to the two concerts one in wake of another. The first is to last from 9:40 to 11:00 p.m., followed by another, and the concert will be wound up at 00:40 to usher in the new millennium in the beautiful chime of the music.

(People's Daily 12/05/2000)