“Little did many of us know: Friday was Mongolia-Philadelphia Friendship Day,” writes David Patrick Stearns in Saturday’s (9/24) Philadelphia Inquirer. “That proclamation seemed quite literal to Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj at a City Hall ceremony, who said: ‘I’m happy to call all of you friends of Mongolia. Let’s work together!’ The occasion was a state visit at the invitation of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which will make its debut in his country next June as part of its periodic Far East tours. The visit is said to be the largest nonpolitical United States delegation to the capital of Ulaanbaatar over the last 30 years…. Elbegdorj was keen to have the Philadelphia Orchestra because of its history of pathbreaking appearances in China…. At the afternoon concert, the first notes from the Fabulous Philadelphians were from his own national anthem—’Mongol Ulsyn Töriin Duulal’—as conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin…. ‘This is a very big deal for diplomatic relations with Mongolia,’ [said] Debra Lo, foreign service officer at the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs…. Elbegdorj … said he loves Bach, Mozart, and Chopin.…’If you go to my home, there are some news channels on, but between them, always classical music.’ ”
Posted September 26, 2016
