A symphony of celebration
Vienna orchestra honors its 125-year history with a series of concerts in China's capital city, Chen Nan reports.
"The idea is to bring different kinds of music to Beijing," he adds, noting that these performances aim to carry forward the legacy of German-Austrian classical music, offering Beijing audiences a taste of Europe's finest orchestral traditions.
During their concerts at the Beijing Performing Arts Center and the NCPA, the orchestra presented iconic masterpieces, such as Wagner's Die Walkure and Mahler's Symphony No 4, showcasing the pinnacle of symphonic art.
Marking the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II's birth, the orchestra also performed a selection of the composer's most beloved waltzes, polkas and operettas, including Eine Nacht in Venedig (A Night in Venice) and Blumenfest-Polka (Flower Festival Polka), Op 111.
According to Nast, along with the performances by the whole orchestra, soloists also made a significant impact during the trip to Beijing. For example, Peter Dorfmayr, the horn player, took center stage on Saturday, delivering a performance of Richard Strauss' Horn Concerto No 1 in E-flat major. Composed when Strauss was only 18 to celebrate his father's birthday, this piece showcases a lyrical beauty combined with robust heroism.
