In 1998, as China pressed ahead with economic reforms and opened further to the world, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra took the stage at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on October 13. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 opened the concert, followed by Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” The performance launched the Beijing Music Festival (BMF), the country’s first professional, international classical music festival.
“In a thriving, rapidly developing country like China, and a great city like Beijing, it would be a real loss not to have a truly professional platform for international musical exchange,” Yu Long, acclaimed conductor and the festival’s founder, told Sanlian Weekly in 2022.
Since then, the festival has returned to the capital every autumn. Now in its 29th edition, it will bring together nearly 700 artists from 32 countries and nine acclaimed ensembles for 12 performances from October 9 to 20.
This year’s festival will open with a concert led by renowned conductor Charles Dutoit. The London Philharmonic Orchestra joins as the festival’s orchestra-in-residence, alongside internationally acclaimed ensembles including the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Kammerakademie Potsdam and State Opera South Australia. They will share the stage with leading Chinese companies, including the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, China National Opera House and Opera Hong Kong.
As 2026 marks the 270th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, the festival’s program spans every stage of the composer’s career, including a newly produced staging of Mozart’s final opera, The Magic Flute, now set in a modern-day subway. The opera will run for two performances at the China National Opera House on October 10 and 11. Sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar, a Grammy Award nominee, and Cui Jian, an icon of Chinese rock, will also take part. Their appearances offer a fresh meeting point for classical and popular music, exploring new ways to engage modern audiences and bringing tradition into conversation with contemporary culture.
Many major European festivals, like Austria’s Salzburg and Switzerland’s Lucerne, are held in smaller cities, where audiences can walk or cycle between venues. Beijing’s sheer size makes its festival a different kind of experience. Still, the festival reaches beyond concertgoers with 20 community and charity events across the city, including pop-up events at Changyang Park and The Box mall in Sanlitun. To make classical music more accessible and engaging, the program also features open rehearsals, backstage experiences, and guided introductions.
Whether you’re a seasoned concertgoer or stepping into a concert hall for the first time, the festival offers a unique chance to discover the joy of music in the heart of Beijing. Read on for details of key events:
Opening Ceremony · October 9
The festival opens on October 9 at the National Center for the Performing Arts, with renowned conductor Charles Dutoit leading the Beijing Music Festival Orchestra and pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja as soloist.
The Magic Flute · October 10&11
A newly produced staging of Mozart’s The Magic Flute will run for two performances at the China National Opera House. This production is a collaboration among four companies across three locations: Opera Hong Kong, State Opera South Australia, the BMF, and the China National Opera House.
London Philharmonic Orchestra · October 12&13
The London Philharmonic Orchestra is this year’s orchestra-in-residence. Led by Principal Conductor Edward Gardner, it will present two carefully curated programs, featuring baritone Liao Changyong and bringing an authentic British sound to Beijing audiences.
Anoushka Shankar and Friends · October 14
Sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar and Friends will perform a special concert at the Poly Theatre. One of today’s most influential sitar players and composers, Shankar has received multiple Grammy nominations.
Giulio Cesare · October 18
A semi-staged production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare will be presented at the Poly Theatre. Premiered in London in 1724, it is one of Handel’s most celebrated Italian operas and among the Baroque operas most frequently performed in opera houses worldwide.
Emerging Artists Special Concert · October 18
The Beijing Music Festival is committed to nurturing young musicians. It gives emerging artists valuable opportunities to perform alongside internationally renowned masters. This year’s festival features a new generation of promising talent, offering a glimpse of classical music’s future.
The “Blue Bird Project @ BMF” concert will take place at the Temple of Heaven’s Divine Music Administration, a historic site where ritual music was performed during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Closing Gala · October 20
The festival’s closing concert is themed “Classical Rock,” featuring conductor Yang Yang and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. They’ll be joined by pianist Ju Xiaofu and Cui Jian, an icon of Chinese rock, in a genre-crossing celebration that blurs the lines between classical and popular music.
For more event details and tickets, click here.
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