A season as big as Beethoven

Shi Yan/ For China Daily

Get ready for plenty of Beethoven as the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 2012-2013 season on Sept 7.

It features the complete Beethoven concert series, as well as individual classics from other composers.

Founded in 1879 and one of the oldest symphony orchestras in China, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra has played with world-renowned musicians and conductors. Over the years, the orchestra has also visited many countries and regions around the world.

Using symphonies, piano concerts, violin concertos, trio concertos, choral fantasies and other forms, master musicians from home and abroad will bring audiences an extraordinary music feast.

The opera Rigoletto will be one of the highlights.

An impressive lineup of world-famous musicians has been invited for guest performances during the season.

Sabine Meyer, one of the most notable German solo clarinetists; Helene Grimaud, a French pianist who used to play the piano part of Beethoven's Choral Fantasia at BBC Proms in 2008; and Alison Louise Balsom, an English trumpet soloist who was the principal trumpet of the London Chamber Orchestra, will all be on stage.

World-renowned conductors Tan Dun (left), Yu Long, Antoni Wit and Rolf Beck will take the baton during the series.

Shanghai native violinist Wang Xiaodong, son of SSO's former leading musician Wang Xili, will meet the audiences.

This season, he will perform as a soloist in programs of Beethoven and Brahms.

In addition, he will also lead members of the orchestra in several chamber concerts.

Subscriptions and sale of individual tickets for the 2012-13 season started July 11. For those who buy five tickets or more at a time, there are discounts of up to 40 percent.