From July 21 to August 1, 2025, the 2025 Vienna Opera Week, hosted by the Austrian Chinese Musicians Association (ACMA), was successfully held in Vienna.
This year’s Opera Week brought together a number of internationally renowned artists. Daniel Serafin, Director of Oper im Steinbruch, delivered an in-depth session on career development. Distinguished Austrian soprano Melba Ramos gave a masterclass and presented a solo concert. World-renowned mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova, following her masterclass, joined young participants in a splendid graduation concert.
The concert brought together young vocalists from China and abroad, and featured solo performances by two outstanding young Chinese singers. Young soprano Dai Ziyi performed operatic arias with a pure and luminous timbre, while tenor Yi Tian presented classic works with a brilliant metallic timbre, showcasing the strength of a new generation of Chinese vocal talent.
ACMA extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participating artists, students, and audience members. Special thanks go to Director Daniel Serafin, Professor Melba Ramos, Professor Vesselina Kasarova, Professor Liu Songhu, young vocalist Dai Ziyi, and other distinguished artists. ACMA also wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Professor Zhao Jing, Honorary Member of ACMA, as well as to the City of Vienna and friends from various sectors for their support of this event. ACMA will continue to use Vienna Opera Week as a platform to promote China-Austria musical exchange and support the growth of young artists.
On the evening of May 24, 2025, the “Peace Concert,” jointly hosted by the Austrian Chinese Musicians Association (ACMA) , successfully concluded at the venue at Karl-Borromäus-Platz 3, Vienna’s 3rd District.
The concert, themed “Music Spreads Peace, One Heart Promotes Reunification,” brought together outstanding musicians from China, Austria, Russia, and other countries. Through a fusion of Chinese and Western classics, it presented a high-caliber artistic feast to the audience. Counselor Zheng Xuan and Consul Xue Xiaoting of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Austria, President Si Liangxin of the Austrian Chinese Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, and President Simone Long of ACMA attended the event.
The first half of the concert featured Western classical classics. Austrian violist Benjamin Beck, soprano Angelika Brandtner, baritone Andrei Maksimov, and vocalists Xiaofang Zhao, Yiting Chuang, Jianhan Li, and Mira Alkhovik took the stage successively. The repertoire spanned works in German, French, Italian, Czech, and other languages, demonstrating the unique power of music to transcend language and national borders.
In her remarks, ACMA President Simone Long stated that the Association has always upheld the philosophy that “art knows no borders, and culture connects hearts,” and is committed to building a bridge of mutual understanding between the Chinese and Austrian peoples through music. This collaboration with the Austrian Chinese Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, she noted, uses culture as the medium and art as the bond to convey to the international community the Chinese nation’s profound aspiration for peaceful reunification.
The concert concluded successfully amid prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the audience. ACMA extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participating artists, guests, and audience members for their support. ACMA will continue to use music as a bridge to promote China-Austria cultural exchange and convey peace and friendship.
A new chapter in Sino‑Austrian cultural and artistic exchange has been written in Ningbo. On April 9, the Austrian Chinese Musicians Association (ACMA) joined hands with Ningbo Municipal Youth&Children’s Palace to host the grand unveiling ceremony of the Sino‑Austrian Youth Music Education Base and an international music masterclass. The event brought together over 200 distinguished guests and young music lovers from across Ningbo.
During the ceremony, ACMA and Ningbo Municipal Youth&Children’s Palace formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The two sides will carry out in-depth collaboration in curriculum development, teacher training, and cross‑border artistic exchanges. Through inviting world‑renowned musicians to teach in Ningbo and organizing youth study tours to Austria, the Base will provide local young learners with a professional, international platform for music education.
Following the unveiling, world‑class music masters delivered an immersive masterclass and offered one‑on‑one professional guidance to young participants. This high‑level learning experience broadened their artistic horizons and enhanced their musical accomplishments.
The establishment of the Base represents an important milestone in ACMA’s efforts to promote Sino‑Austrian youth music education. Moving forward, ACMA will continue to bring top international artistic resources to Ningbo, deepen bilateral cultural cooperation, and support the all‑round artistic development of young people.
We are pleased to share that Vice Mayor Zhao from Ningbo has successfully completed his visit to Wiener Neustadt and Vienna. During his trip, he engaged in fruitful discussions with key local leaders, including Vice Mayor Spenger, Christian Hoffmann, and Sebastian Kovacs. Special meetings were also held with Chen Bin, CEO of Diamond Aircraft and Wanfeng Group, to explore potential collaborations and investment opportunities.
This visit further strengthens the longstanding cultural and business ties between Ningbo and our region, paving the way for exciting future projects in both cultural exchange and economic development.
Stay tuned for more updates on these promising initiatives!
We are excited to share that the Ningbo New Year Gala was a resounding success, with over 80 million viewers tuning in live! Our Austrian Cultural Delegation lit up the stage under the theme “Future” (Zukunft), delivering a performance that truly bridged cultures:
• Composition & Piano Performance: Robert Werner
•Arrangement: Marko Markuš
•Acting: Alessa Jäger
• Lyrics & Vocals: Simone Long
•Accompaniment: An ensemble of four brilliant string musicians
For more than 20 years, Wiener Neustadt and Ningbo have enjoyed a strong friendship, fostering vibrant cultural and economic exchange. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Vice Mayor Rainer Spenger and Christian Hoffmann for reinvigorating this longstanding partnership, and to SPÖ Wiener Neustadt for their unwavering support.
We are proud to represent Austria at such a significant event, celebrating the enduring bond between our cities. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the gala a memorable celebration!
ACMA recently had the honor of welcoming Mr. Peng Jiaxue, Secretary of the CPC Ningbo Committee, in Wiener Neustadt—celebrating over 20 years of friendship between Ningbo and Wiener Neustadt. Together with Vice Mayor Rainer Spenger, Mr. Peng was received for an exclusive delegation event focused on deepening cultural and business collaborations.
The program included:
•An official reception at the Old Rathaus on October 23, 2024, featuring discussions on enhancing cooperation in culture, tourism, and commerce.
•The opening of the photo exhibition “Maritime Seidenstraße in Ningbo” at Herzog Leopold Straße 26, attended by local dignitaries.
•A visit to Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH and a subsequent luncheon, which provided further networking opportunities with business leaders.
This meaningful engagement marks another step forward in reinforcing our longstanding partnership and shared vision for future projects. We look forward to continuing this journey of collaboration and cultural exchange.
