GREAT CHINA TOUR | Berliner Philharmoniker, Germany, 2022-2026 |
Together with Wu Promotion, the Berliner Philharmoniker is planning a residency project in Shanghai at two-year intervals, beginning in June 2022. The performances in June 2022 are part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Germany and China. Under the baton of chief conductor Kirill Petrenko, the orchestra will give four concerts during this first residency as part of a “Festival of the Berliner Philharmoniker”. Chamber music activities are also planned, as well as master classes, concert introductions and other outreach and community projects. In the course of this longer residency, the orchestra attaches great importance to a direct exchange with the musical and social life in Shanghai and encounters with local conditions. The Berliner Philharmoniker have already visited Mainland China on five occasions. It began with the orchestra’s legendary first tour of China under the direction of Herbert von Karajan in the autumn of 1979 – at that time one of the first tours of the People’s Republic of China by a foreign orchestra. In 2005, 26 years later, the orchestra undertook a tour with its then chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle. This tour was brought to a worldwide audience in the film “Trip to Asia”. Together with Sir Simon Rattle, there were two further stays in China, in 2011 and in 2017 as part of the chief conductor’s farewell tour through Asia. In 2018, Gustavo Dudamel led the orchestra on a tour of Asia which once again included China. With their new residency in Shanghai in 2022, the Berliner Philharmoniker will begin an exclusive partnership with Wu Promotion. “It is a great honour for my organization and me to become the exclusive partner for one of the world's most sought-after orchestras in the very promising region for classical music. Working with the leading performing groups of the world to initiate international cultural dialogue has always inspired Wu Promotion to continue its journey as an advocator of the arts. This new long-term exclusive partnership with the Berliner Philharmoniker for the Greater China Area, which encloses Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, has laid a further milestone for the development of Wu Promotion in its 30th anniversary.” Jiatong Wu, President of Wu Promotion Co., Ltd.
About the Berliner Philharmoniker The Berliner Philharmoniker, founded in 1882 as a self-governing body, has long been lauded as one of the world’s greatest orchestras. Hans von Bülow, Arthur Nikisch and Wilhelm Furtwängler were the chief conductors who left their distinctive mark in the Berliner Philharmoniker’s early decades. In 1955 Herbert von Karajan became the orchestra’s artistic director and, in the ensuing years, worked with the musicians to develop a unique tonal quality and performing style that made the Berliner Philharmoniker famous all over the world. Claudio Abbado, chief conductor from 1989 to 2002, devised a new type of programming, with increased emphasis on contemporary works, expanded chamber recital series and operas in concert performance. He was followed by Sir Simon Rattle, who led the orchestra from September 2002 until the end of the 2017/2018 season. During his tenure, the Education Programme was initiated to ensure that the Berliner Philharmoniker reach a wider and, especially, younger audience. In November 2007, the orchestra and its artistic director Sir Simon Rattle were appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, the first artistic ensemble ever to represent the international children’s organisation. The Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation is generously supported by its principal sponsor, Deutsche Bank. In 2009, the Digital Concert Hall video platform was launched, which broadcasts the orchestra’s concerts live over the Internet. In 2014, the Berliner Philharmoniker founded their own label, Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings. During an orchestra assembly on 21 June 2015 Kirill Petrenko was elected by a large majority of the members of the Berliner Philharmoniker as the chief conductor designate, succeeding Sir Simon Rattle. He took up his position beginning with the 2019/2020 season. About Wu Promotion Co., Ltd. Founded in 1991 by Zezhou Wu and Jiatong Wu, father and son, it was established as the first private company in China striving to enhance cultural exchange and friendship between countries by actively promoting the performing arts and capturing the beauty and diversity of the world’s culture through international high level art events. It has organized events for more than 500 art groups with almost 5.000 different performances of symphony, ballet, opera, theatre, piano recital and chamber music for about 6 million people in China and worldwide so far. Wu Promotion builds exclusive partnership with many international top orchestras and institutions, such as Wiener Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Dresden, Mariinsky Theatre, Lucerne Festival, Theatertreffen Berlin among many others. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021, Wu Promotion has become, and currently under the leadership of Jiatong Wu, one of the largest and the leading art promoters and event organizers in Asia and worldwide, with the purpose of encouraging the blending of cultures amongst all nations and individuals. |
Asia has embraced instrumental and orchestral music and now offers its audiences a variety of international artists and performances. Concert halls in Asia have reached the stage where they are now standing alongside international concert halls. Wu Promotion represents some of the world's most prestigious symphony orchestras, performing around Asia's most reputable concert halls and bringing glorious music to the Asian audience.
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Ballet and modern dance in Asia ushered a thriving phase with greater diversity as it gained much popularity. Wu Promotion went beyond its passion for the classical music industry and brought in numerous distinguish ballet companies and modern dance troupes. Wu Promotion is entering the 21st century by giving Dance & Theatre bigger prospects that would be a highlight to the Asian cultural agenda.
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"Great Pianists Series"is a new brand of classical music jointly launched by Wu Promotion and several Chinese theatres in 2023. Each year, world-renowned pianists, and young pianists who have won international awards or stood out in prestigious music festivals around the world will be invited. Since the launch of its first season in 2023, it has been a favourite among musical fans.
In 2024, the Great Pianists Series invites Rudolf Buchbinder, Fazil Say, Lucas & Arthur Jussen, Lucas Debargue and Bruce Liu to present the most charismatic piano recitals.
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In 2024, Wu Promotion introduced the Great Chamber Music Series, showcasing a genre deeply rooted in the history of classical music. Chamber music offers a unique insight into the composer's emotions and intentions, making it a captivating form for audiences. In this series, we invite world-renowned music masters and rising music stars to present the most representative chamber music performances. Through closer musical experiences, we aim to cultivate a more unique and profound understanding of classical music among the audience.
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China's love affair with piano recitals is never ending. The mesmerizing tune of subtlety, power, and elegance struck by the fingers of the artists, echoes with the most deeply buried memories of joy and sorrow. The cascading sound coming from the shimmering fingers over the keyboard is the direct embodiment of such delicate and profound emotion. Wu Promotion hopes to instill a pure moment of grace into the heart of every listener.
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It is the chance to hear the best artists up close in intimate settings with superb textural clarity. In each group, not only does the individual technical excellence and balance between the members contribute to its remarkableness, but also the richness of ensemble, where the harmonic construction and musical understanding are perfectly mirrored with coherent phrasing and homogeneous ensemble playing, thus revealing a profound expression of the music piece. The resulting intimacy suggests "smallness" and "closeness" on the participation of both performers and listeners. Wu Promotion believes that it is only a matter of time for Chinese audience to become fervently infatuated with the ultimate delicacy of chamber music.
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Following the successful debut in 2016, the “Theatertreffen in China” in 2017 and 2018 has further expanded its influence in China and gradually become a unique brand in the Chinese theatrical world. With the support of Mr. Chen Ping, the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Germany, Goethe-Institut China and Volkswagen China, the 4th “Theatertreffen in China”, jointly organized by Wu Promotion and Theatertreffen Berlin, will return in June-July 2019. A professional jury consisting of six experts from China and Germany selected two dramas with distinctive characteristics for the theatre enthusiasts: Thalia Theatre’s Die Odyssee and Münchner Kammerspiele’s Trommeln In Der Nacht.
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Charlie Chaplin, one of the greatest humorists and entertainers of all times, said in 1940 in one of his movies: “We think too much, we feel too little.”
At Wu Promotion, we believe that high-quality entertainment is providing fun while having an educational responsibility. Education is a key element to a developing and peaceful world. Each art form, classical art or entertainment art, has an important role to play in the progress of society, worldwide.
With a significantly growing middle class over the past decade China has witnessed a substantial increase of interest in family entertainment. More and more families are looking for high-quality leisure time to spend together, seeking for interesting and stimulating activities for adults and children. Artists from every part of the world, with their inexhaustible creativity, are eager today to meet the expectations of China’s new audiences. They need a solid local partner to cope with such a vast and unpredictable market. The experienced team of Wu Promotion has the needed ability, the experience and the strength to realize successful touring of supreme productions for family and children audience in China and abroad. We are proud to have the trust of the artists, as we have successfully gained the trust of our partners.
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