Shows

The Country's Grain Fields

Date: Feb 27-28 - 7:30 pm

Venue: NCPA, Beijing

In the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor took advice from Liu Tongxun, the minister of finance, and deployed imperial guards in secret to 18 provinces to catch birds in the rural farmland, in an attempt to unveil the mystery of the grain fields by testing the food in a bird's stomach. A "food test in the throne room" exposed a startling case on disasters that were hidden and money, which was embezzled by greedy officials, who cared only about achievements in their official careers, and a crisis ensued causing the Qing Dynasty to suffer from shrinkage of grain fields and the emptying of granaries. Several capable ministers including Liu Tongxun were entrusted on a mission to reclaim the wasteland and investigate the shortcomings of the century-old imperial fields. Nevertheless, corrupt officials led by Ne Qin had colluded with businessmen to launch a coordinated attack from both the courts and commonalty.

B'rock Orchestra

Date: Feb 25 - 7:30 pm

Venue: NCPA, Beijing

This program presents what we now know as Italian baroque music from the early 17th and 18th centuries. What we unfortunately forget is how modern and experimental this music was and still is in many ways. From the birth of purely instrumental music (sonatas) and grounds based in popular melodies or 17th-century "pop singles" (Aria sopra "La Bergamasca", passacaglias and chaconnes) in the early 17th century to the birth of the solo concerto and the "orchestral" sound at the beginning of the new century, this is music full of risks, fresh ideas, experimental forms and combinations, all written to a family of new musical instruments: the violin family (violins, violas, cellos and double basses).