On September 13 the design and production team of the 2007
Shanghai Special Olympics World Summer Games held a press
conference. The music plan of the Opening Ceremony of 2007 Special
Olympics was disclosed for the first time at the conference.
Liu Tong, the music
director of the Shanghai Special Olympics opening
ceremony
Tan Dun, a prominent Chinese musician, will compose music for
the Special Olympic Flag march-in ceremony and also conduct the
symphony orchestra during the ceremony.
Tan Dun is a Chinese contemporary classical composer. He is most
widely known for his Grammy and Oscar-award winning scores for the
movies Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and
Hero.
Quincy Jones, an American music legend, has a total of 79 Grammy
nominations and 27 awards. He composed the theme song: I Know I
Can.
Many famous Chinese pop singers will attend the song's premiere
performance of I Know I Can. Quincy Jones said that he
would personally attend the opening ceremony on October 2.
According to the Special Olympic sponsor, the internationally
renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble have both
confirmed performances for the opening ceremony.
Liu Tong, the music director of the opening ceremony, said that
the opening ceremony will commence with a drum show called
"Harmony: Hearts Beating As One," performed by actors with
intellectual disabilities and many volunteers. He also revealed
that all parts of this opening ceremony would feature people with
intellectual disabilities.
About 400 entertainers will take part in the 60-minute-long
opening ceremony on October 2, 2007.
Scheduled to run from October 2 to 11, the 2007 Special Olympics
marks the first time the event has been held in Asia. More than
10,000 Special Olympics athletes and coaches from over 150
countries will participate in the Games.
(China.org.cn by Chen Lin September 14, 2007)
