Baroque concert kicks off arts festival

The 9th Meet in Beijing Arts Festival got off to a somber start at the Forbidden City Concert Hall, with a Baroque concert by French ensemble, Le Poeme Harmonique. Even the stage was given a Baroque flavor with a 7th-century oil painting providing the backdrop to the concert.

A special feature of the concert was a "lute", an ancient Greek instrument shaped like a guitar. At a press conference before the concert, ensemble founder Vincent Dumestre demonstrated its use and said it dated back more than 2,700 years.

The festival will run through May, with concerts, performances, exhibitions, lectures and outdoor activities. This year's highlights are lectures and workshops in small theaters and cafes downtown.