Composer Chen pens Beijing Olympic theme

Chen's You and Me was debuted at last Friday's opening ceremony, having been omitted from all three rehearsals at the new Bird's Nest stadium. British soprano Sarah Brightman and Chinese vocalist Liu Huan performed before 100,000 people in the stadium and an estimated five billions watching on television.

Born in 1951, Chen won a scholarship in 1984 to study with Olivier Messiaen in Paris. He is the director of music for the Beijing Olympics, devising the music programme, writing music himself and commissioning other composers.

Brightman also performed Friends for Life, the theme to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with Spanish tenor José Carreras. Chinese pianist Lang Lang also performed at the opening ceremony.

http://en.beijing2008.cn/

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