Beijing Music Festival Withdraws Production of "Émigré" Oratorio

According to the Festival, the Beijing premiere of the work was withdrawn “due to special circumstances”

The Beijing premiere of Émigré, originally scheduled for October 6, 2024, has since been canceled by the Chinese government. 

The work is a 2023 oratorio commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and conductor Long Yu. 

Initially set to be a highlight performance of the 27th Beijing Music Festival (BMF), Émigré was to premiere at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) with Yu conducting the China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lanzhou Concert Hall Chorus. 

The oratorio tells the story of two Jewish brothers who flee Nazi Germany and arrive in Shanghai as refugees in 1938. The story reflects the time period when over 30,000 Jews had traveled to Shanghai, with around 16,000 Jews taking permanent refuge in the city.

Aaron Zigman composed the oratorio’s music, while the libretto was written by Mark Campbell, and additional lyrics provided by Brock Walsh.

The Beijing premiere was to serve “as the starting point for an exciting international tour to Berlin, London, and Hong Kong,” reads the BMF’s website. 

Émigré premiered in Shanghai in November 2023 shortly after the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in Gaza. The work received its U.S. premiere last February by Yu and the New York Philharmonic, and was directed by Mary Birnbaum.

“Ultimately, we see this story as a contemporary vigil for those who find themselves far away from home,” Birnbaum said at the time. “[Émigré is about] citizens of the world protecting each other.”

“It has been suggested by the Beijing authority that the performance of Émigré be canceled due to special circumstances,” reads a statement on BMF’s social media, according to Musical America. “BMF is regretful that the performance could not be staged as planned.”