The Fifth Gulangyu Music Festival Grandly Opens!

To benefit people with culture and create an immersive music experience

XIAMEN, China, July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the evening of July 13, the Fifth Gulangyu Music Festival was opened in Gulangyu, Xiamen, featuring captivating music performances at Gangzaihou Beach, Gulangyu Music Hall, Gulangyu Organ Arts Center, and the streets of Gulangyu.

The Fifth Gulangyu Music Festival created a "Sea Stage" at Gangzaihou Beach, with the China Ethnic Song & Dance Ensemble presenting the first performance, featuring the meticulously crafted brand concert "Splendid China". The concert featured 15 diverse programs combining ethnic, traditional and modern artistic styles, showcasing outstanding ethnic orchestral pieces with distinctive characteristics. The concert included solo, ensemble, and orchestra performances of unique ethnic instruments like suona, maguhu, tianqin, and matouqin, offering Xiamen music enthusiasts a high-standard music feast with traditional Chinese elements.

In addition to the "Sea Stage" at Gangzaihou Beach, The Fifth Gulangyu Music Festival also featured a "Music Palace" at the Gulangyu Music Hall and the Gulangyu Organ Arts Center. On the evening of the 13^th, Nicoletta Mantovani, the widow of Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, led several outstanding singers and pianists from the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation to open the first concert at the "Music Palace", recreating Pavarotti's classic works and taking the audience on a nostalgic journey through his glorious moments.

During the Music Festival, melodious music echoed throughout the streets and alleys of Gulangyu. Various music enthusiasts performed music at Piano Ferry Terminal, Union Church, John Ma Square, and the Gulangyu World Heritage Emblem, attracting numerous spectators and creating a rich musical atmosphere. At the same time, a music coffee market was set up at Gangzaihou Beach, where music enthusiasts could enjoy premium coffee brands from different regions, savoring the sea breeze, music, and coffee for a unique leisure experience in Gulangyu.

The event is guided by the municipal government and organized by the Administrative Committee of Xiamen Gulangyu-Wanshishan Scenic Area, Siming District People's Government of Xiamen, Xiamen Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Xiamen Media Group. Lasting for 10 days with the theme "Our Music, Our Island", it features four main segments: Sea Stage, Music Palace, Music Corner, and Music Space. Leveraging key street spaces and iconic buildings on Gulangyu, the event offers diverse musical performances including pop, electronic music, choir, string, and organ music, creating an immersive music festival for all to participate in and enriching the romantic musical experience on the island.

This year, the "Music Palace" reinvites Olivier Latry, the "Global Organ Ambassador", the current titular organist at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and one of the world's foremost organists, to Gulangyu. During this music festival, he will present two exclusive organ concerts and conduct a music masterclass. Additionally, Russian artists Olga Kondina, Tsarenko Zinaida, and Boris Kondin will jointly perform numerous classic opera selections. Carla Dirlikov Canales, the Mezzo-soprano and the State Department Arts Envoy, also appeared at Gulangyu's Bagua Mansion to share the history and highlights of American repertoires with the audience. Other special performances include a violin and piano duo concert and children's music enlightenment plays, offering music lovers more diverse music styles and opportunities to engage closely with masters. Following performers on the "Sea Stage" will put on summer electronic music shows, a cappella concert by City Singers, and Shang Zhongyuan "Boundless Music" Sanxian concert.

It is worth mentioning that this event is not only a feast of music but also a vivid demonstration of the organizers' commitment to providing cultural benefits to the public. All the activities of the ten-day music festival are open to citizens and tourists for free, a move that has been highly appreciated by the public. Through the universal language of music and the dialogue of song, Gulangyu Islet expresses its deep affection for the island in every note, dedicating its passion to the vast audience.