Music echoes a melody of friendship between China and Brazil

A Chinese folk song echoed across the stage, its melody carried through the air. Drawn by the rhythm, Brazilian musicians began to dance while Chinese attendees stepped closer to the stage. Within moments, a circle formed, and the crowd swayed together to the same beat.

The scene unfolded in Nanning, the capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, where the Copacabana Fort Orchestra participated in a cultural exchange program during the "Sanyuesan" festival, a traditional ethnic and regional celebration known for its singing and communal gatherings.

Founded in Rio de Janeiro, the Copacabana Fort Orchestra blends classics with vibrant Brazilian rhythms. Marcia Melchior, the orchestra's artistic director, believes this China tour went beyond performance and expectations.

"Music is universal. It unites people. You don't need to speak the same language to feel it in your heart," she says, noting that music is the natural starting point for deeper international understanding.

Coinciding with the China-Brazil Year of Culture 2026, and at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the visit was designed to foster cultural exchange between the two countries.