The newly opened Wuxi Symphony Hall hosts a New Year concert in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, on Jan 1, 2026. [Photo provided to wndonline.cn]

The newly opened Wuxi Symphony Hall came alive with music on the evening of Jan 1, as the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra joined hands with the Wuxi Youth Symphony Orchestra and a lineup of renowned Chinese and international artists to welcome the New Year 2026.

Under the theme "Moon over Taihu Lake, Dawn of a Symphonic era", the concert drew an audience of 1,500 and offered a rich musical journey that bridged East and West, past and present, sending New Year greetings from Wuxi, a UNESCO City of Music in East China's Jiangsu province, to the world.

Led by Lin Daye, artistic director and principal conductor of the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, the evening opened with the Wuxi Overture, a work specially composed for the city. Pianist Kong Xiangdong delivered a vivid rendition of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, capturing the work's seamless blend of classical elegance and jazz spirit. Violin master Maxim Vengerov showcased both technical brilliance and deep lyricism in Tzigane and Meditation, while baritone Liao Changyong moved the audience with Toreador Song and The Faraway Place.

Violin master Maxim Vengerov delivers a powerful performance. [Photo provided to wndonline.cn]

A highlight of the night was the orchestral adaptation of a classic scene from the local Xiju Opera The Butterfly Lovers: Sworn Brotherhood at the Grass Bridge. Arranged by the orchestra's music advisor Li Shaosheng and performed by celebrated Xiju artists Cai Yu and Wang Ziyu, the piece showed how tradition can find new life on the contemporary stage.

The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra has grown rapidly since it was founded in June 2023, presenting more than 100 performances in just over two years. Its growing artistic footprint includes collaborations with leading figures such as Chen Xieyang, Tang Muhai, Denis Matsuev and Lang Lang, as well as world-renowned ensembles such as the Russian National Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra of the United States.

Located in the Wuxi National Hi-Tech District, the Wuxi Symphony Hall is a new cultural landmark for the city. The complex includes a 1,500-seat main concert hall, a 500-seat multipurpose venue, an arts exchange center and a retail zone.