“Billed as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China,” the Philadelphia Orchestra recently announced a May 2019 tour of China, its twelfth visit to the country, writes Peter Dobrin in Wednesday’s (1/30) Philadelphia Inquirer. The tour “begins with three concerts in Beijing (May 17, 18, and 20), and then moves on to Tianjin (May 22), Hangzhou (May 24), and Nanjing (May 25), before culminating with what is billed as a special anniversary concert in Shanghai (May 26)… Said orchestra president and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky, … ‘It is our fervent hope that only good things can come from the presence of the Philadelphia Orchestra in concert halls and conservatories and schools during our trip, where we deeply connect with people’ … Repertoire is to include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, a reprise from the [orchestra’s first] 1973 visit, as well as the world premiere of a Tan Dun vocal concerto… Music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct all seven concerts.… In addition to its performances in China, the orchestra will engage in education and outreach activities much like the side-by-side performance it hosted Tuesday night [in Philadelphia] with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra.”
Posted January 31, 2019
