A Sino-German choral concert is held in Taicang, Suzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

A special evening of music brought Germany and Taicang together on July 20, as the Sino-German Choral Concert was held at Taicang Grand Theater.

The concert featured the Hessen State Youth Choir from Germany alongside three local ensembles — the Philharmonic Choir of Taicang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Taicang Youth Choir and Taicang Little Lark Children's Choir.

Led by conductor Tristan Meister, the Hessen State Youth Choir presented a diverse repertoire in Hungarian, German, Estonian and English, demonstrating the ensemble's high level of choral performance and versatility across languages.

A Sino-German choral concert is held in Taicang, Suzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

One of the night's most memorable moments came when the young German singers performed the Chinese song Butterfly Lovers. The timeless love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai took on a fresh dimension through German harmonies and flute accompaniment.

The three Taicang choirs also performed works that reflected their own cultural character. The Philharmonic Choir of Taicang High-Tech Zone performed Into the Woods in German, while the Taicang Youth Choir presented a traditional Shuangfeng folk song with strong local flavor. The Children's Choir added a lively touch with their clear and youthful voices.

The concert reached its finale with all four choirs joining together for Beethoven's Ode to Joy, offering a fitting expression of friendship and cultural exchange between China and Germany.

Meister said Taicang has incorporated many German elements and that the music in the two places shares common ground, including deep-rooted traditional cultures. "Music is the universal language," he said, expressing his hope for more exchanges between the choir and Taicang in the future.