Yu Long, the festival's artistic director, said: "It is sure to be a historic music event in China." Yu will direct three orchestras and eight choruses from China and abroad to give full rein to Mahler's Symphony No 8 during the opening concert.

The usually cool-minded conductor could not conceal his excitement after yesterday's rehearsal.

Since Gustav Mahler composed the symphony in 1907, only a few orchestras and choruses have been able to perform the piece, which is known as the Symphony of a Thousand. The score was written for a huge orchestra, including a quadruple wind section with eight horns, as well as a mandolin and harmonium, eight soloists, a double choir of adults, a children's choir and a concert organ.

"Most performances of the symphonic piece so far have not followed the composer's design," said Yu.

But the organizers of the annual festival decided to offer Chinese audiences and even some Mahler fans flying in from abroad what they regard as the "real" Symphony of a Thousand.

The backstage area of the Poly Theatre has been turned into a labyrinth of lounges and dressing rooms for 11 different ensembles. The stage will hold about 1,000 performers, the largest concert in the theatre's history.

At the front of the stage will be 200 instrumentalists from three orchestras. Behind them, eight choruses will stand on the steps of a high tower specially built for the concert.

Four trumpeters and three trombone players will play off-stage on the fourth floor, the top floor of the auditorium.

The performance will also feature eight world-famous soloists -- Frank van Aken, Akie Amou, Maria D'Aragnes, Marek Gasztecki and Karsten Mewes and Chinese sopranos Cao Zheng, Liang Ning and Rao Lan.

Cao said: "The rehearsal is really impressive and we all believe tonight's concert will be successful."

(China Daily October 11, 2002)