Cover The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during their New Year’s Concert (Photo: courtesy of The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during their New Year’s Concert (Photo: courtesy of The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
1 / 1
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s Beijing concert in October not only marks its return to China’s capital after more than a decade but also signifies the historic company’s recent interest in recruiting musicians from Asia
Daniel Froschauer, chairman and first violinist and chairman for the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Vienna Phil), has travelled all
over the world to perform with the company. But Beijing holds a special place in his heart. “We are super happy to be back in Beijing since our last visit,” he told Tatler ahead of the orchestra’s late October concert, supported by Rolex. The orchestra had last performed in the Chinese capital in 2013; plans to return any earlier were thwarted by the pandemic.
But a return was always going to be on the cards, given the Vienna Phil’s long-time relationship with the city. Michael Bladerer,
the orchestra’s general manager, says, “The first time our orchestra performed in Beijing was in 1973 with [legendary conductor] Claudio Abbado. That’s more than 50 years ago, which is quite impressive.”
The orchestra finally returned to mainland China with a tour that took them to Beijing and Shanghai in October 2024, then to Guangzhou and Xi’an in November. This tour was supported by the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative, the luxury watch brand’s commitment to global culture, beneficiaries of which have also included major global arts events such as the Venice Biennale and the Oscars. In 2024, the luxury watch brand celebrated the 15th anniversary of its partnership with the Vienna Phil.
You might also like: Lang Lang returns to Macau with a ‘romantic concert’ at the Galaxy Music Gala
Above China National Centre for the Performing Arts (Photo: courtesy of the National Center for Performing Arts)
China National Centre for the Performing Arts (Photo: courtesy of the National Center for Performing Arts)
1 / 1
Under the baton of Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons on opening night in Beijing, the orchestra performed Dvořák’s Symphony No 7 in D minor, Op 70 (1885) and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 9 in Es-Dur, Op 70 (1945). The second night featured music by Beethoven and Strauss. The same programme was performed in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi’an.
According to Froschauer, the programme reflects the evolution of this historic orchestra in the sense that its music has grown more international and adapted to the tastes of audiences of different cultures since it was founded in 1842.
The opening night’s programme, for example, brings together European musical traditions, notably works from outside Vienna and an international team. On one hand, Dvořák’s work reflects how Vienna’s musical traditions are influenced by Czechia, where the composer was from. On the other, Nelsons, coming from Latvia (which was part of the Soviet Union), is famous for conducting works by Russian composer Shostakovich.
The Vienna Phil may be nearly two centuries old, but the chairman recognises the importance of discovering and playing music from a wide variety of time periods, cultures and genres if it is to stay ahead of the game. “We’re in a privileged situation of having a very rich and proud history, and we could talk a long time about that, but even more important for us is the future,” Froschauer says. “You have to come up with smart programming.”
Above The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during their New Year’s Concert (Photo: courtesy of The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
Above The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during their New Year’s Concert (Photo: courtesy of The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during their New Year’s Concert (Photo: courtesy of The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
1 / 2
In recent years, the orchestra has also branched out into popular film music, such as in its 2020 and 2022 collaborations with American composer John Williams, known for Jurassic Park (1993) and Schindler’s List (1993), which attracted, in Froschauer’s words, a “young, passionate audience who might not have otherwise came to listen to a big symphony”.
Another major change the orchestra has presented is the highlighting of female composers, who weren’t as celebrated in the past, especially in the classical music world; Froschauer observes that gender representation is “an issue in Europe or the whole world”. So, in the summer night concert of 2023, for instance, the orchestra featured the work of Lili Boulanger, the first female winner of the prestigious Prix de Rome, in 1913. During our October 2024 interview, he also teased that the New Year’s Concert would spotlight Constanze Geiger, a female Austrian pianist, theatre actor and singer who lived in the time of Johann Strauss and whose music was played by the Strauss brothers but whose status hasn’t been fully celebrated to date. “So why shouldn’t we play her music [too]?” Froschauer asks.
Just as the orchestra has been around for a good long time, so too have some of the musicians— something Froschauer is aware the group needs to address. “The older generation [of musicians] is getting older, and we are seeing the symptoms. Some are 80-plus. [Theoldestis] 97 years old,” says Froschauer. “So we have to bring in a new generation.”
Bladerer and Froschauer both took on their current positions in 2017, then set up the Orchestra Academy in 2018, which offers private lessons, audition preparation and orchestral training to young musicians worldwide. It has had students from Europe, South America and Asia; some of the graduates now perform with the Vienna Phil or have secured positions with other prestigious orchestras such as the Berlin Phil.
Above China National Centre for the Performing Arts (Photo: courtesy of the National Center for Performing Arts)
China National Centre for the Performing Arts (Photo: courtesy of the National Center for Performing Arts)
1 / 1
“This is a programme where the Vienna Phil renews its traditions and teaches people to become part of our tradition,” says Bladerer, adding it wants to continue to expand its reach. “We haven’t had a Chinese [student] yet so we would be happy to have one. Male or female; the violin, cello, flute or bass—we don’t care.”
In fact, they see China as a great example of a country that encourages new generations of musicians. “There’s one thing that sets these audiences [in Beijing] apart from all over the world, which is that they seem much younger than anywhere else,” Froschauer says. “It’s nice to see that they bring children to concerts.” He adds that the Vienna Phil has a good relationship with the national broadcaster CCTV, which shows the orchestra’s New Year’s Concerts and Summer Night Concerts. “It’s a great chance to reach so many people who love music, [especially when] the Chinese people have such a strong cultural history.”
Bladerer likewise believes in the work being done in China to support professional musicians and other performing artists. “One thing we’ve experienced here in China is that people here build a lot of new concert halls, and we recently performed in a wonderful hall in Nanjing [Jiangsu Grand Theatre]. There’s a lot of money being invested in new concert halls and theatres; this is very positive. So there’s a good future for the arts in China.”
As the gatekeeper of one of the world’s most famous orchestras, Froschauer sees music as more than entertainment—it brings the world together in celebration of artistic excellence and cultural diversity. So it’s paramount that they “always find the best possible players [from around the world] to continue our tradition”, he says. “Our concerts are places for peace, hope, happiness and communication, and we see our orchestras as promoting situations [of cultural exchange] like this, wherever we go.”
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
