- Preconcert performances, food, and activities will create festive atmosphere in the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center
Detroit, (January 16, 2020) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) presents is annual celebration of the Chinese New Year at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center this month. The DSO welcomes The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theater to the Orchestra Hall stage for an evening of performance, community, food, and family-friendly activities.
The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra highlights the legacy and influence of Chinese culture with a program of works performed on traditional instruments. The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theater brings a dazzling combination of vocal artistry, costumes, and acrobatics that honors centuries-old musical traditions.
The concert takes place Tuesday, January 28 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and preconcert activities will take place throughout the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center from 6 p.m. until the start of the concert. These include a Tai chi demonstration, arts and crafts, and more; food will also be available for purchase.
Tickets are on sale now for the concert. All tickets are general admission, with no seating assigned. All preconcert activities are free to ticketholders. Please see below for more ticket information.
The event is presented by China Arts & Entertainment Group with support from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago. The event is presented in partnership with the North American Chinese Coalition, Chinese Association of Greater Detroit, Chinese School Association in Michigan, Detroit Chinese Business Association, APIA News Network – Dragon Eagle TV, American Chinese School of Greater Detroit, New Century Chinese school, Ann-Hua Chinese School, Michigan Chinese Art Troupe, Michigan Tai Chi Center, Anshinkan Dojo, U-M Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments, and U-M Lieberthal Rogel Center for Chinese Studies.
Please note: the DSO does not appear on this performance.
About The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
Founded in 1952, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra (SHCO) is China’s first large-scale modern Chinese orchestra. For more than sixty years, the orchestra has played a major role in the development of Chinese music.
Located in Shanghai, SCHO boasts some of the most famous musicians in China. Its exceptionally wide repertoire includes modern orchestral works as well as Chinese traditional pieces for smaller ensembles, including string and wind ensembles, plucked-string ensembles, percussion ensembles, and others.
SHCO is actively engaged in composition, regularly commissioning new works that enrich the orchestra’s repertoire. Among these works, many have been honored with some of China's most important prizes; “The Oriental River,” “The Sun Ritual,” and “Dream Interpretation” are now among the classics of Chinese music.
SHCO has performed throughout China and toured dozens of countries and regions abroad. Highlights include performances at Vienna’s Musikverein, the ASEAN Summit, the Special Olympics, the Shanghai National Day Concert, and more.
The orchestra’s discography includes several recordings of Chinese masterpieces. Thanks to its numerous and diversified audience, the SCHO is considered one of the major actors in the popularization of Chinese national music.
About The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theater
The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theater dates to 1950 and was organized into a state-run theater troupe in 1956. In 2012, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture evolved the group into the larger Zhejiang Shao Opera Art Research Institute to undertake the protection, research, and development of Shao Opera, a national cultural heritage of Zhejiang Province and China at large.
Shao opera is a unique style of Chinese music, featuring high-pitched vocals, folk-inspired music, and eye-catching staging and choreography.
The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Theater has premiered and performed many staples of the Shao opera repertoire, including some that were made into popular films and have earned praise from Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Guo Moruo, and other Chinese government officials. These include “Sun Wukong’s Three Dozen Bones,” “Dragon-Tiger Fight,” “Yu Quian,” and many more.
The company has performed throughout China and elsewhere in Asia, as well as countries in Europe and North America. The Zhejiang Shao Opera Art Research Institute are to offer the Shao opera experience to genre newcomers at a low cost locally and also travels to perform in rural and underserved areas to spread the culture of Shao opera throughout China.
Ticket Information
Tickets are available at dso.org, by calling (313) 576-5111, or in-person at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center Box Office (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit).
Tickets are $25 and general admission, meaning no seats may be reserved and that seating is first-come, first-served. Please contact the Box Office with questions about accommodating patrons who require special seating.
Reserved Box Level seating is also available for $50.
About the DSO
The most accessible orchestra on the planet, the acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. As a community-supported orchestra, generous giving by individuals and institutions at all levels drives the continued success and growth of the institution. Conductor Leonard Slatkin, who recently concluded an acclaimed decade-long tenure at the helm, now serves as the DSO’s Music Director Laureate, endowed by the Kresge Foundation. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while the outstanding trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard holds the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair. Making its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, the DSO offers a performance schedule that features Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. One of America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall will celebrate its centennial in 2019-2020. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in seven metro area venues, as well as a robust schedule of eclectic multi-genre performances in its mid-size venue The Cube, constructed and curated with support from Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings. A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a radio broadcast and continues today with the free Live from Orchestra Hall webcast series, which also reaches tens of thousands of children with the Classroom Edition expansion. With growing attendance and unwavering philanthropic support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to embrace and inspire individuals, families, and communities through unsurpassed musical experiences.