Today, we had an interview with Zhang Yi, one member of the creation team of Ode to Joy, who is a famous conductor and the music director of the National Ballet of China, on the occasion of the upcoming premiere of Ode to Joy.

Zhang Yi said, “Conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 in d minor, op.125 is a dream for all the conductors. I have conducted this work several times, and I always be devout and in awe in every performance. This is the first time for the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra to present this work, and all the cast in this symphonic ballet is more than 220 artists. This performance can be described as a dialogue with Beethoven across time and space!”

The four vocal soloists who joined the premiere are: Guo Chengcheng, Wang Hongyao, Li Shuang and Liu Songhu (from left to right).

China National Symphony Orchestra Chorus

From November 17 to 19, let’s walk into the beautiful world of the symphonic ballet Ode to Joy, listen to Beethoven’s brilliant music masterpiece and enjoy the spectacle brought by NBC!