The Beijing Guitar Duo, consisting of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, appeared for two nights at The Rosette, a gem of a music hall located in a former high school in Hyde Park. Alamo Drafthouse Corporation owns the building, which rents the performance space to the Austin Classical Guitar (ACG) Society (a non-profit organization hosting concert series, community events, education, and more).
The illustrious Beijing Guitar Duo has graced stages across the globe, enchanting audiences in prestigious venues like the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Palau de la Música, Tchaikovsky Hall, and Beijing’s esteemed National Theatre. Embarking on a captivating journey this season, they embarked on a 12-city concert tour across the United States in February 2024, enchanting audiences in Washington D.C., Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Knoxville. Their musical odyssey extends beyond the US, with performances slated in Europe and China.
Renowned for their collaborative spirit, the duo frequently joins forces with orchestras, sharing the stage with luminaries such as flutist Marina Piccinini and guitarists Grigoryan Brothers. Their mentor, Manuel Barrueco, accompanies them on tours spanning North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, further solidifying their global acclaim.
For the lucky audience to see the Beijing Duo perform at such a cozy space, which seats less than one hundred people and is by far one of the finest acoustic halls in all of Austin, that was a bonanza! There is no comparison to the exquisite quality of sound here – the new Moody Center, Bass concert hall, and Erwin Center pale by a considerable margin compared to The Rosette. The speakers are hidden behind thick black drapes which mute any harsh emanations. The sound engineer is brilliant; kudos to him. Every strum by Beijing Duo and note’s perfect timbre and tonal qualities stunned your ears.
Once Beijing Duo began their passionate interplay, the whole house sat hushed in wonder and awe. The duo’s Internal transformation transcended the limitations imposed by French and Italian baroque and classical music through their delicately strummed – sometimes quiet, altogether riveting performance.
They opened with a Prelude, Fugue et Variation, Op. 18 by César Franck. The transition from Claude Debussy’s En Bateau, Cortége, Menuet and Ballet to Vases Poéticos by Enrique Joaquin Granados. The closing composition of the hour-plus-long performance was written by the Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, who reinvented music written for tango on guitar with his Tango Suite.
ACG hosts all their classical music events at The Rosette. For more information about upcoming events and activities, take a look at https://austinclassicalguitar.org/visit-the-rosette/
To learn more about Beijing Guitar Duo, visit https://www.beijingguitarduo.com/