Winland Christmas Gala Concerts
2017A Tribute to German Opera
——
in celebration of the 45th anniversary of Sino-German Relations
This year saw the twelfth year of Winland Christmas Gala Concert. It is the end of a growth cycle and marks a new beginning. This year’s Gala, held on 2nd December 2017 in celebration of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Germany and China, presents classic selections from masterpieces in German opera history. Parsifal, Rienzi, Lohengrin from the Romantic era by inaugurator Wagner; Hänsel und Gretel from German folk instaurator Humperdinck, Die tote Stadt from Hollywood's Golden Age composer Korngold, we welcome you all on a solemn yet lively journey through the German opera.
The Christmas Gala Concerts hosted by Adam Yu have become part and parcel of Beijing's cultural life. I am all the more grateful to our host for choosing German opera as this year’s guiding theme for the second time after 2012. With this, Adam Yu celebrates the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Germany and China with another great cultural highlight. Both countries are much more to each other than just markets. They are two nations with great cultural wealth, which enormously increases the attractiveness for each other. This is especially true for classical Western music: it enjoys great and even growing popularity in China - especially among younger people. The operas of Wagner, Humperdinck and Korngold are thus not only part of the German-speaking culture, but go far beyond.
It is the great merit of Adam Yu that he has been for years promoting classical music culture from the West to China with great skill and great success. It creates common foundations among the people, from which understanding for each other and, ultimately, trust with each other can grow up. I thank him very much and look very much forward to an evening of German opera in the house of a friend.
—— Michael Clauss
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in China
