The Dresden State Orchestra of Saxony, Germany, will make its China debut in Beijing late this month. The 115-member orchestra, under the baton of the outstanding Italian conductor Giuseppe Sinopoli, is scheduled to give Beijing audience four well-known symphonies in concerts scheduled for January 28 and 29.

They are Mozart's Symphony No. 40, Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, Schubert's Symphony No. 7, and Mahler's Symphony No. 5.

Founded in 1548 as an ensemble to play for the royal court, theorchestra originally provided music for various functions such as banquets, church services, concert festivals, masquerade balls, weddings or funeral processions.

As the orchestra of the Dresden State Opera, it maintains a unique tradition of playing productions by Weber, Wagner and Strauss, while presenting a varied repertoire of works by Haydn, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and others.

Bian Zushan, a famous Chinese conductor, said, "The orchestra is linked with many great names, and Chinese people will now have an opportunity to enjoy the performance."