H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift, Austrian Ambassador to China, gave in the name of Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen, President of the Republic of Austria...

H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift, Austrian Ambassador to China, gave in the name of Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen, President of the Republic of Austria, “The Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art” to Jiatong Wu in a ceremony held at the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Beijing on May 16. 

“This is a monumental day in my career, which started 30 years ago supporting my father. I gave up my personal investment in engineering and devoted myself to culture out of my love for music and art and the ambition to build up cultural bridges among nations. A dedication that was initiated enhancing the cultural exchanges between China and Austria" Jiatong Wu expressed in gratitude.

Wu Jiatong © Hao Yi

"I've known Jiatong Wu for almost 20 years. I have had the honor and pleasure to present the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art to him. It is a small token of our appreciation for his great efforts in building bridges between Austria and China, connecting our people – in the field of culture and the arts - and deepening and strengthening the ties between our two countries" said H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift, Austrian Ambassador to China.

This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Austria, a cooperation that has been reinforced and expanded in the past 50 years in the fields of politics, commerce, culture, science and technology and winter sports.

Jiatong Wu (left) and Austrian Ambassador to China, H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift ©Hao Yi

The Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art ©Wu Promotion

Nearly hundred guests attended the ceremony, most of them friends and governmental and cultural partners that have accompanied and supported Wu Promotion in the last 30 years. Pianist Lang Lang, Jiatong Wu´s close friend, performed Bach's Goldberg Variations and Liszt's Liebestraum to all of them.

Wu Jiatong (left) and pianist Lang Lang

Jiatong Wu and his father Zezhou Wu established Wu Promotion in 1991 becoming the first private performing art agency in China that is nowadays leading Asia. Whereas Jiatong Wu has just received such distinction, Zezhou Wu was awarded the Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Republic of Austria by the former Austrian Ambassador to China Mr. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut in 2004, in recognition of their contribution to the cultural field in the Sino-Austrian relations since the founding of Wu Promotion.

The Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Republic of Austria to Zezhou Wu in 2004 ©Wu Promotion

Jiatong Wu studied electrical engineering at the Technical University in Vienna. As a music enthusiast, while studying, he enjoyed the Viennese cultural life attending concerts and opera performances. From 1991, he started to support his father by organizing tours of Austrian orchestras in China as well as organizing performances of different Chinese performing art groups in Austria.

Wu Promotion’s 30-year journey of promoting cultural exchanges between Austria and China

Since the first Schrammel Music Quartet concert was held in Beijing in 1991, Wu Promotion has successively introduced many Austrian world-renowned performing art groups presenting a multitude of wonderful orchestra, ballet, theatre and opera performances to Chinese audiences.

In 2014, Wu Promotion signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic that was started with a large-scale tour in Greater China in 2017. An exclusive cooperation that was renewed this year till 2027.

Wu Promotion has also successfully brought the Chinese culture and Chinese performing art group to Austria and the world. In 1998, Wu Promotion creatively organized the "Grand Chinese New Year Concert" in the Year of the Tiger, bringing the China National Traditional Orchestra to the Musikverein of Vienna for the first time. The concert was a milestone for Chinese traditional music performances, not only abroad but also in China, where its success has instilled a new pride and interest in China's own musical heritage. 

Many other performances have been organized by Wu Promotion in cooperation with Austrian cultural institutions since 1991:

Program cover of the Schrammel Music Quartet concert in Beijing ©Wu Promotion

The concertmaster Peter Guth interacted with the audience at the concert
In 1992, the Vienna Strauss Festival Orchestra led by Peter Guth, was the first orchestra that toured in China with Wu Promotion. ©Wu Promotion

In 1992, Han Xu, Chairman of China International Cultural Association, Dr. Franz Endler, the famous Austrian music critic, and Mr. Dietrich Bukowski, former Ambassador of Austria, attended a post-performance reception at the Austrian Embassy in China. ©Wu Promotion

Since 1992, Wu Promotion has held the "Vienna Ball" in Beijing for 11 consecutive years.

Mr. Wolfgang Schüssel, the former Chancellor of Austria, Mr. Dietrich Bukowski, the former Ambassador of Austria, Zezhou Wu and Jiatong Wu attended the “Vienna Ball” in 1992. ©Wu Promotion

In 1996, Bruckner's gripping compositions were performed for the very first time by Bruckner Orchestra Linz from Austria. It was the first large symphony orchestra to ever tour in many major cities in China with Wu Promotion. ©Wu Promotion

China National Traditional Orchestra represents The Grand Chinese New Year Concert for the first time at the Musikverein in Vienna in 1998. ©Wu Promotion

In 1998, Austrian prestigious music critic Prof. Bulaway took on the role as host of The Grand Chinese New Year Concert in the year of the Tiger. ©Wu Promotion

In 1998, Dr. Kurt Waldheim, the former President of Austria and the 4th Secretary-General of the United Nations attended the first Grand Chinese New Year Concert featuring the China National Traditional Orchestra. ©Wu Promotion

In 2000, Vienna Operetta Group performed the operetta Merry Widow during their tour in China. ©Wu Promotion

In 2001, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra became the first Chinese symphony orchestra that Wu Promotion has presented abroad with Solo pianists as Yundi Li and Sa Chen as the highlight of the tour. ©Wu Promotion

In 2002, with Wu Promotion, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra toured in Europe and performed at the Musikverein in Vienna. ©Wu Promotion

The founder of Wu Promotion Dr. Zezhou Wu with the former Federal President of Austria Dr. Heinz Fischer and his wife ©Wu Promotion

In 2008, the former Vienna mayor Dr. Helmut Zilk hosted the Grand Chinese New Year Concert at the Musikverein in Vienna. ©Wu Promotion

In 2008, China Philharmonic Orchestra performed for the first time at the Musikverein in Vienna under the lead of the famous conductor Long Yu. ©Wu Promotion

In 2011, Mr. Werner Farman, the former Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, attended the gala concert at the National Centre for the Performing Arts Beijing in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Austria and China. ©Wu Promotion

Poster of the Peking Opera Red Cliff

In 2012, brand-new Peking Opera Red Cliff – a production of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing – was performed in the Vienna Burgtheater. ©Wu Promotion

The Beijing Symphony Orchestra at the Wiener Konzerthaus
In 2013, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra (BSO) gained great success on tour in Europe, with Maestro Tan Lihua. ©Wu Promotion

In 2014, Wu Promotion organized the Zhu Zongqing Percussion Band’s concert at the Musikverein in Vienna. ©Wu Promotion

The Vienna Philharmonic signed a five-year contract with Wu Promotion becoming the orchestra´s tour agency organizer from 2017 to 2021 in the Greater China Area including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. ©Wu Promotion

The founder and artistic director Gustav Kuhn and Jiatong Wu Tyrolean Festival Erl toured China the first time. Led by Mr. Kuhn, Tyrolean Festival Erl performed the “24-hour Ring Cycle”, widely regarded as Richard Wagner greatest opera, to Chinese audiences. ©Wu Promotion

Macao Orchestra represented China in the International Brucknerfest 2015, and gave four concerts with four different programs in Linz, Austria, as well as in Tiroler Festspielhaus Erl and Tonhalle Zurich. ©Wu Promotion

Wu Promotion arranged Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder’s tour in China for 11 consecutive years. ©Wu Promotion

Maestro Rudolf Buchbinder with Chinese young audience ©Wu Promotion

In 2017, with the organization of Wu Promotion, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra became the first invited Chinese orchestra to perform in Luzern Festival in Switzerland, the Tiroler Festspiele and Grafenegg Festival in Austria and the summer music festival of Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.  ©Wu Promotion

Mr. Jiatong Wu with the Federal President of Austria Mr. Alexander van der Bellen and his wife ©Wu Promotion

Under the baton of conductor Maestro Franz Welser-Möst, the Vienna Philharmonic undertook its second large-scale China tour in 2018. ©Wu Promotion

Conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Yuja Wang and Jiatong Wu ©Wu Promotion
In 2019, the Vienna Philharmonic embarked on its third large-scale China tour.

World-renowned conductor Christian Thielemann with the the Vienna Philharmonic at the concert in 2019 ©Wu Promotion

The Vienna Philharmonic General Manager, Michael Bladerer, President Daniel Froschauer, cashier Bernhard Hedenborg and Jiatong Wu ©Wu Promotion
In 2021, the Vienna Philharmonic and Wu Promotion renewed the exclusive cooperation agreement until 2027.