No Berlin or Vienna, but Chinese orchestra will tour UK
OrchestrasBrexited from the European mainland, we now rely for entertainment on Chinese exports, courtesy of IMG Artists:
press release:
Leading Chinese orchestra’s debut UK tour to include first ever live orchestral performances of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Eight-concert tour to London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Edinburgh, Perth, and Basingstoke (11th–22nd March 2024)
Performing excerpts from Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon film score, Respighi’s Pines of Rome and Fountains of Rome, Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Chausson’s Poème, and Mahler’s First Symphony
Programmes to be conducted by Daye Lin featuring soloists Tamsin Waley-Cohen and Jiapeng Nie
Orchestral music lovers across the UK have the rare opportunity to experience one of Asia’s most revered orchestras this March, as the China Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) embarks on its first ever UK tour.
Yeah because until Brexit the Berlin Phil and Vienna Phil were playing in Perth, Sheffield and Basingstoke practically every season. Second only to the Salzburg Festival in their calendars.
Although Perth does have a rather fine new concert hall which is fabulous to perform in…and in quite an affluent city
Really, isn’t London already well served by orchestral performances? Not to suggest that Perth and Basingstoke are backwaters, but chances are this orchestra is filling more of a voic there than in London and Glasgow.
Interesting programmes. Pretty agreeable listening — I enjoy the Respighi, and am an admirer of Tan Dun, though I do not know this score, not having seen the film.
The Mahler will be a reasonable test of their mettle, and audiences will know if they are any good with any of the selections.
They come with quite a good rep. And they are both getting their props — Cadogan Hall and Usher Hall, among other quality venues, and visits to the sticks, which as was noted above most top visiting orchestras would duck.
Having lived in Hong Kong, I had plenty opportunity to take in their arts scene, which I haunted. Their Symphony was very agreeable, and their ballet company surprisingly good. There was a very good Chinese company doing Chinese dance, and an exceptionally good modern dance company. No western opera when I was there, but I explored Chinese opera — often the only westerner there. (I preferred aria concerts to full operas, of which I could only take an hour or so out of I will never know how many).
I hope those with access will take full advantage of this tour, as I suspect they may be in for a treat.
LOL…The Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic didn´t play in Paris, New York, or Paris either ,this season….
Vienna Phil come every year to NYC and are here in early March for 3 programs.
I thought Brenden Kavanaugh would play the piano Lol. Hope they’re not going to wave their red Chinese communist flags in public.
Btw, Vienna Phil is coming to California next year.