The 29th Beijing Music Festival Celebrates Mozart and the Unifying Power of Music

The 29th Beijing Music Festival Celebrates Mozart and the Unifying Power of Music

October 9–20, 2026, in Beijing

Festival highlights include the London Philharmonic Orchestra in residence, Charles Dutoit and Elisabeth Leonskaja on opening night, a new production of The Magic Flute, Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Anoushka Shankar, Cui Jian, Ning Feng and leading artists from China and around the world

BEIJING, CHINA — The Beijing Music Festival (BMF) today announced programming for its 29th edition, taking place October 9–20, 2026, at venues across Beijing. Under the theme “Beijing Cappella,” the Festival will bring together internationally renowned orchestras, conductors and soloists alongside leading Chinese artists and emerging musicians for nearly two weeks of opera, orchestral concerts, recitals, chamber music, world music, rock, and free public programming.

Mozart will serve as the central artistic thread of the 2026 Festival, marking the 270th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Under the banner “Mozart for Everyone,” the Festival will explore the extraordinary range and enduring accessibility of his music through piano concertos, all five violin concertos, opera, chamber music, sonatas and orchestral works.

“The idea of ‘Beijing Cappella’ reflects both capital itself and the Festival’s role as a meeting place for artists and musical traditions from around the world,” said Shuang Zou, Artistic Director of the Beijing Music Festival. “Mozart represents the openness, curiosity and joy at the heart of artistic expression. His music speaks to experienced listeners and first-time concertgoers alike. We invite audiences throughout Beijing to join us in celebrating not only Mozart’s music, but also his generous and profoundly human spirit. Mozart is for everyone.”

The Festival opens with an all-Mozart program featuring conductor Charles Dutoit, pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja and the Beijing Music Festival Orchestra, whose musicians are drawn from member ensembles of the League of China Orchestras. The concert will bring together two artists celebrated for their lifelong engagement with the classical repertoire: Dutoit, known for the clarity, balance and color of his orchestral interpretations, and Leonskaja, whose performances combine expressive restraint with exceptional depth.

London Philharmonic Orchestra Named Orchestra-in-Residence

The London Philharmonic Orchestra will serve as orchestra-in-residence for the 29th Beijing Music Festival, appearing in four performances across the opera house and concert hall.

At the center of the residency will be a new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a collaboration among Opera Hong Kong, State Opera South Australia, the Beijing Music Festival and the China National Opera House. Following presentations in Hong Kong and Adelaide, the production will receive its Chinese mainland premiere at the Festival.

Directed by Shuang Zou and conducted by Dane Lam, Music Director of State Opera South Australia, the production reimagines Mozart’s beloved opera through a contemporary concept of “urban mythology.” Transplanting the work’s fantastical story into a modern Eastern metropolis, the staging considers how its timeless themes of love, courage, wisdom and transformation resonate in contemporary urban life.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra will also perform under Principal Conductor Edward Gardner, joined by acclaimed Chinese baritone Liao Changyong and German pianist Gerhard Oppitz in a program featuring Mozart opera arias, a piano concerto and orchestral masterworks.

With its combination of virtuosic coloratura, folk-inspired melodies, spoken dialogue, comedy and profound humanity, The Magic Flute embodies the Festival’s belief that Mozart belongs to everyone. Written for the broad public of its own time, the opera continues to connect with audiences across generations, cultures and levels of musical experience.

Mozart in the Concert Hall

Mozart’s music will be heard throughout the Festival in performances ranging from large-scale orchestral concerts to intimate chamber music and recitals.

Violinist Ning Feng and Kammerakademie Potsdam will undertake the rare feat of performing all five Mozart violin concertos in a single evening. The program will trace the composer’s remarkable development across the complete cycle while showcasing the elegance, imagination and technical demands of these works.

Additional performances will explore Mozart’s chamber music and keyboard repertoire, revealing the composer in settings both public and private. Together, these programs will illuminate the qualities that have made Mozart one of the most universally beloved composers: emotional directness, formal ingenuity, melodic warmth and the ability to unite humor and pathos, simplicity and sophistication.

International Orchestras and Artists Converge in Beijing

Beyond its Mozart focus, the 2026 Festival will encompass nearly three centuries of music and welcome a distinguished roster of international artists.

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra will appear with Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, with young Singaporean violinist Chloe Chua among the featured artists. Other Festival guests include clarinetist and conductor Andreas Ottensamer, violinist Antje Weithaas and numerous leading musicians from China and abroad.

The Festival will also present Handel’s Giulio Cesare, a landmark of Baroque opera, in a new semi-staged production receiving its Chinese premiere. Presented by the China Philharmonic Orchestra with an international cast of leading early-music singers, the production will be led by renowned Baroque conductor Laurence Cummings. Produced by the KT Wong Foundation, the presentation renews the Foundation’s partnership with BMF following their collaboration on Handel’s Semele.

“Future Tradition” Brings Together East and West

The Festival’s “Future Tradition” series returns in 2026, bringing Eastern and Western musical traditions into dialogue and exploring how historic art forms can continue to evolve in the present.

Indian sitar virtuoso and Grammy-nominated artist Anoushka Shankar will make the first China stop of her international tour. Known for a musical language that bridges Indian classical music and contemporary global influences, Shankar embodies the Festival’s commitment to artistic exchange and creative exploration.

On closing night, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yang Yang, will join Chinese rock pioneer Cui Jian and young pianist Ju Xiaofu for an evening of “classical rock.” The program will place orchestral music and rock side by side, closing the Festival with a celebration of experimentation, collaboration and artistic freedom.

Supporting the Next Generation

Young musicians will remain central to the Beijing Music Festival’s mission. Pianist Ju Xiaofu, violinist Chloe Chua and participants in BMF’s Spring Bird program will share the Festival’s stages with established international artists, gaining experience and visibility while offering audiences a view of classical music’s future in China.

The Festival will also extend beyond traditional performance venues through a citywide program of public engagement. Activities will include a street pop-up performance, open-backstage events, lunchtime concerts in office towers and programs supporting emerging musicians.

These initiatives reflect BMF’s longstanding commitment to making exceptional music accessible throughout the city. Whether attending an opera for the first time, encountering live music during the workday or returning as a longtime Festival audience member, listeners will find a point of entry into the 2026 program.

For nearly three decades, the Beijing Music Festival has worked to bring the world’s finest artists to Beijing while introducing Beijing and China’s musical culture to the world. Through “Beijing Cappella,” the 29th Festival continues that mission, transforming the city into a gathering place for different generations, traditions and musical languages.

The complete performance schedule, venues, casting and ticket information will be announced separately.

ABOUT THE BEIJING MUSIC FESTIVAL

Founded in 1998 by Maestro Long Yu, the Beijing Music Festival is one of China’s leading international arts organizations. Through opera, orchestral concerts, chamber music, recitals, new commissions, cross-cultural collaborations and educational initiatives, BMF connects audiences in Beijing with distinguished artists from China and around the world. The Festival is committed to artistic excellence, international exchange, the development of emerging musicians and the belief that great music belongs to everyone.

Press Contact:
Matt Herman
8VA Music Consultancy
matt@8vamusicconsultancy.com

Festival Information:
https://bmf.org.cn/en