'Wuxi Suite' receives world premiere, opening orchestra's new season

Wuxi Symphony Orchestra performs the complete Wuxi Suite at Wuxi Symphony Hall on Sept 26. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]

The complete Wuxi Suite received its world premiere on Sept 26, as the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra opened its 2026/27 season at Wuxi Symphony Hall.

Led by artistic director and chief conductor Lin Daye, the 75-minute work unfolds in nine movements, tracing the city from Taibo's legendary arrival in Wuxi to its rise as a technology-driven smart city.

Wuxi Symphony Orchestra performs the complete Wuxi Suite at Wuxi Symphony Hall on Sept 26. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]

The project grew from Wuxi Prelude, which premiered in 2024. The varied styles give the suite a broad emotional and sonic range. In the second movement, Wuxi-born erhu player Deng Jiandong performed; Thai composer Narong Prangcharoen wrote the seventh, inspired by shifting light on Taihu Lake and the energy of innovation.

Audience members described the work as a musical love letter to Wuxi, revealing a richer, more resonant side of the city than its gentle image alone could convey. Liu, a Wuxi native, said she felt proud that her hometown now had its own suite. When familiar folk melodies surfaced, she said, "it felt wonderfully comforting." After the final movement, prolonged applause and cheers filled the hall.

The premiere also launched a season of 20 concerts and eight chamber programs, with guests including Paavo Jarvi, JoAnn Falletta, Pinchas Zukerman and Angela Gheorghiu. It is the orchestra's first full season at the new hall, marking closer integration between the venue and the ensemble.