'Meet in Beijing' Arts Festival to open soon

Preparations are underway for this year's "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival, which is set to kick off later on this month.

As the climate warms with the approach of spring, the capital city of China has also been warming up for its major cultural event, the 14th "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival.

From April 28th to 25th next month, the event will feature dance, music, drama, outdoor musical festivals, and an art exhibition. More than 200 art troupes from over 30 countries are set to step onto the stage.

At the press conference for the festival, Pu Tong, an official from the Ministry of Culture, says the festival will connect China with the rest of the world.

"As a comprehensive art festival, the event is dedicated to promote the international communication of cultural exchange. For decades, the festival has served as a platform for multilateral cultural communication. "

From the ballet version of Don Quixote and mellifluous singing of the leading children's chorale to the free-styled African dances and blood-boiling hard rock: audiences will be thrilled by the rich diversity of the festival.

According to the organisers of the festival, shows from Latin America are the highlight of this year, which includes a 3-day Latin American and Caribbean musical festival and a concert. During the concert, the China National Orchestra will use traditional Chinese musical instruments to present classical repertoires from Latin American countries for the first time.

Rosario Portell, the Uruguayan Ambassador to China, hopes that these cultural exchange will promote further artistic innovations.

"The communication during this art festival is just like building a bridge. Latin America countries use music, dance, painting, photography, and design, to recreate our arts and renew these art forms during this communicating process."

Domestic talents also set to shine during the festival, with the controversial dark comedy The Face of Chiang Kai-Shek as well as the concerts of popular Hong Kong singers Alan Tam and Hacken Lee featuring in the line-up. Musician Feng Mantian will fuse the music of Zhong Ruan, a Chinese plucked string instrument with jazz, rock, and blues melodies.

In order to attract more young visitors, the festival is also going to launch four major outdoor events, including Intro Electronic Music Festival and Strawberry Music Festival. Through selling low-price tickets and establishing feedback channels, the organizers hope to help locals gain wider access to the world-class performances.