Chinese tenors Wei Song, Shi Yijie, Han Peng and Yu Haolei will then present a recital on the evening of New Year's Day. The quartet of artists, who have been active in the opera scene home and abroad for many years, will present a concert of beloved arias from the operas by Verdi, Puccini and Rossini, as well as a medley of Chinese art songs and folk songs.

To celebrate Christmas and New Year, SHOAC will host a localized production of The Nutcracker by the National Ballet of China from Jan 8 to 9. Premiered in 2001 and revised in 2010, the ballet presents a "long scroll of Chinese festive customs" in the classical music of The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, according to Feng Ying, director of the National Ballet of China.

In the localized version of The Nutcracker, the protagonist is a girl named Clara who lives in a hutong in Beijing. In a dream on New Year's Eve, she meets with a legendary monster named Nian and embarks on a mystical journey through the world of Chinese folklore.

From Feb 15 to 16, conductor Andris Nelsons will lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra on a tour in China, presenting two concerts at SHOAC that feature pianist Yefim Bronfman.