Global orchestra performs from home amid outbreak

Every year, overseas musicians return to China to perform as the Global Chinese Orchestra with musicians based here. However, this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the annual event has been moved online with overseas musicians sharing performances made from their homes.

On Sept 27, conductor Lyu Jia, who is the president and artistic director of the orchestra, appeared in Beijing and gathered with overseas musicians through the internet.

A string quartet from the National Center for the Performing Arts, consisting of violinist Liu Xuan, violinist Zhao Jingjing, violist Zhuang Ran and cellist Song Tao, performed repertories during the event, including The Merry Widow Waltz from Franz Lehr's The Merry Widow, an operetta in three acts, and the famous aria, Libiamo ne'lieti calici, from La Traviata, an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi.