Concert performers face audience ire for not being as advertised

Concertgoers are being warned to make sure they do their homework before forking out hard-earned cash on concert tickets, after a series of underwhelming and potentially mis-sold gigs left customers with a bad taste in their mouths over the holiday period.

With COVID restrictions well in the past, the concert and live gig market has bounced back to life in China, and consumers are eager to pay for the experience.

However, numerous concerts held over the new year period have fallen short of expectations in the view of many.

At the Blue Danube New Year's Concert in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Dec 31, the performance lacked a full orchestra and instead featured only a piano, two cellos, two violas and five violins. There were no conductor, brass, woodwind or percussion instruments either, prompting immediate complaints from the audience.

Another incident occurred during a performance by the Royal Belgian Philharmonic in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province. Audience members reported that not only were the promised 12 pieces not fully performed, but some pieces were even played twice. Further investigation revealed that the so-called Royal Belgian Philharmonic was actually a local orchestra established in 2007, comprising semi-professionals and outstanding amateur enthusiasts.

Similarly, the Berlin German Symphony Orchestra, which toured in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang around the New Year holiday, also faced a backlash from netizens. Upon investigation, it was found that the full name of the orchestra is Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, exactly the same as the renowned German symphony orchestra. However, their official website did not list any performances scheduled in China during that period. Moreover, industry insiders discovered that the claimed world-famous male and female vocalists mentioned in their promotional materials had falsified their resumes to varying degrees, and the name of the conductor provided could not be verified.

These incidents not only resulted in poor audience experiences but also caused financial losses, as ticket prices for these performances were not cheap. The Royal Belgian Philharmonic, for instance, toured over 10 cities in China during the New Year period, with ticket prices ranging from 80 yuan to a staggering 2,340 yuan ($11 to $325).

According to a report by China Central Television, the prevalence of such questionable groups can be attributed to several factors. First, organizers and performers are exploiting the limited ability of the general public to discern the qualifications of orchestras, using confusing translations to take advantage of the audience's lack of expertise. Second, the rapidly growing market demand and relatively limited supply have provided an opportunity for these groups to exploit. Finally, the poor regulation of these performing groups and their promotional activities have allowed these groups to exploit the situation for quick profits.

As audiences in large cities are potentially better able to identify subpar orchestras, these questionable groups may shift their operations to smaller cities. Therefore, it is crucial for concert industry regulators, ticketing platforms, theaters and relevant cultural regulatory authorities to focus on and address the issue of fraudulent orchestras, the CCTV report said.

"Before attending a concert, it is essential to research the original name of the orchestra, check if they've participated in professional concert seasons, released any records, where they have performed and what kind of reviews they have received. It is difficult to be deceived if you do your homework," Xu Yao, the publicity director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, told CCTV.

An internet influencer specializing in classical music surnamed Zhang, and a music critic surnamed Lin from Shanghai shared some tips to identify questionable groups. Zhang and Lin revealed that such groups often use prestigious prefixes in their names, such as regional references to Germany, Austria, Vienna and Berlin, or the names of famous figures like Strauss, Tchaikovsky and Mozart, to fool inexperienced audiences.