40 outdoor lawn concerts to take audiences on musical journey
Audiences attend the opening concert of the annual Shanghai City Lawn Concert on Friday. The concert was presented by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening Up.
Over 40 outdoor concerts and operas from both home and abroad will be staged downtown throughout the year as part of an annual music festival that kicked off over the weekend.
The Shanghai City Lawn Concert series is being held on the lawn to the south of the Shanghai Concert Hall on Yan'an Road E., and will feature symphonies from famous global bands as well as traditional Chinese instruments and operas.
Audiences can secure free tickets by entering their mobile phone number into one of five ticket machines located beside the lawn. They can also watch a live broadcast through the official WeChat account (huangpuwenhua).
The opening concert on Friday night celebrated the 40th anniversary of China's Reform and Opening Up. Renowned female conductor Zhang Jiemin cooperated with pianist Song Siheng to perform traditional Chinese songs and the classics of Johann Strauss.
"Other concerts to be presented through mid-December will be performed by bands from both home and abroad such as the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, European Union Youth Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra," said Gong Mingxia, deputy director with the Huangpu District Culture Bureau.
The concerts this year have various seasonal features. The summer concerts mainly invite foreign bands and art groups to perform for locals, while those in autumn will be held more frequently. A total of 28 concerts will be staged between mid-October and early November.
Jazz music will dominate the lawn in winter to complement the romantic atmosphere created by golden ginkgo trees across the area.
"I've been attending the annual lawn concerts for three years, which has become an idyllic retreat from my busy work," said Zhou Liang, a local white collar worker with a travel agency.
The lawn concerts have been held for five years with a total of 142 concerts. About 213,000 audience members have enjoyed the annual musical feast, according to the Huangpu government.
The government plans to renovate the facilities on the 5,000 square meter lawn in order to create a better environment for audiences, Gong said.
According to blueprints, an expansion shelter will be installed over the lawn so that the concerts won't be affected by rains. Flowers will also substitute the shrubs being planted on the entrance to the lawn, she added.
