And in June 2003 comes something even more extraordinary -- a production of Wagner's five-hour opera Tristan und Isolde, in similar semi-staged fashion.
This massive work, one of opera's very greatest monuments, demands enormous stamina, concentration and talent from singers and musicians alike. It is hardly surprising that at present (and this may change) it is only scheduled for a single performance.
It almost certainly represents the first time any of Wagner's mature masterpieces have been performed complete in Taiwan.
At a rehearsal earlier this week, principal flautist Anders Norell, who comes from Sweden, talked about the concert last Saturday at which the legendary Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, now 75, was the soloist.
"The concert went very well," he said, "and was sold out long in advance. Rostropovich was demanding about dynamics -- where he wanted the orchestra to play softly and where loud. He's one of the great masters in music, and naturally we did what he asked.
"The acoustics here in this rehearsal room are terrible -- it was originally intended as a ballet studio. Everything sounds much better in the concert hall. I think when the architects designed this National Concert Hall building, they thought the orchestra could rehearse on stage. But there's so much going on these days it often isn't possible. We had two rehearsals with Rostropovich, one in this room, the other on the stage the afternoon before the performance."
Chien Wen-pin has high hopes for the Beethoven cycle -- good attendances and thrilling performances. When I pointed out that the opening concert [tonight] was on a "Friday the 13th", he said "Is it really? Do you know, I hadn't noticed that!"
Details of the Open Your Beethoven Vision concerts are as follows:
Friday Sept. 13: Symphony No: 1, Piano Concerto No: 5 (Emperor; soloist: Bobby Wang), Symphony No:7.
Saturday Sept. 14: Symphony No: 2, Piano Concerto No: 4 (soloist: Meng-Chieh Liu), Symphony No: 4.
Thursday Sept. 19: Symphony No: 8, Piano Concerto No: 3 (soloist: Daming Zhu), Symphony No: 3 (Eroica).
Friday Sept. 20: Symphony No: 6 (Pastorale), Piano Concerto No: 2 (soloist: Sandra Wright), Symphony No: 5.
Friday Sept. 27: Piano Concerto No: 1 (soloist: Lina Yeh), Symphony No: 9. Soloists: Kuo Chin-huei (
All concerts are with the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chien Wen-pin.
For more information call (02) 2343-1647 for English-language service.
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