CRI NEWS

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Performs in Shanghai

2004-12-30 10:22:21 CRIENGLISH.com

World famous conductor Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra gave a New Year's concert in Shanghai Wednesday night. "All-tickets-sold-out" might be the best way to describe the orchestra's popularity. Here's CRI Shanghai correspondent Wang Jing.

It is said that Israel has an excess of artists, and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra might be a good example.

More than half of the members are Israeli-born musicians.

Director Zubin Mehta was born in India, but has been closely associated with the orchestra since he was appointed music advisor by the orchestra in 1969.

Ten years ago, the orchestra came to Shanghai with Mehta. This year's return visit created another year-end sensation.

Eliav Benjamin, Israel's Deputy Consul General in Shanghai, says it's not hard to figure out why the Shanghai people are so enthusiastic.

"The conductor, to start with, is one of the most enthusiastic conductors I've ever seen performing, really showing his spirit and energy into the performance, without even having to look at the note, in most of the case, just to look at the orchestra, to be able to know what they are doing, to have them at his hand in a way. The orchestra itself is a very professional one, they swim with it, and they swim in it very smoothly. You don't sometimes even realize they are from one piece to next, because it just flows."

The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra performs more than 200 concerts annually.

The orchestra plays at various music celebrations across the world and has performed in the US, Russia, Poland, Japan and South America.

In recent years, more and more Israeli artists have become familiar names to Shanghai people.

Besides musicians, painters, sculptors, curators and directors are also coming from Israel to display their talents.

While cultural exchanges are considered an integrated and prominent way of connecting people from different countries, Benjamin, believes the booming cultural exchanges result from a special background of the two peoples.

"The relationships of Israel and Jewish people, with the city of Shanghai and the area, is something that has been going on for many years, decades, especially the Jewish side. Jews in the past used to live here, in Hongkou district and other parts of the city. Shanghai offered a shelter for the Jews, we are very grateful to that, and we feel this is another common ground we have with the Shanghainess people. "

Wang Jing, CRI News, Shanghai.

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