Music

East, Meet West. West, Meet East

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic play together for the first time on the Great Lawn

by Josh Kurp   |   Jul 13, 2010

East, Meet West. West, Meet East

Photo: SH-Symphony.com

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Tonight at 8 p.m. in Central Park, the New York Philharmonic and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will play together, marking the first time another orchestra has played with the Philharmonic on the Great Lawn.

The event marks the beginning of the “Concerts in the Park” series and tonight is meant to celebrate Shanghai, the city hosting this year’s World Expo (a.k.a. World’s Fair), the first time China has done so. And theirs is an orchestra is worth celebrating: Conductor Long Yu and pianist Lang Lang are two of the most renowned names in classical music. The New York Philharmonic, conducted by Andrew Boreyko, is no slouch, either.

In a statement, Philharmonic President and Executive Director Zarin Mehta said, “As musical and cultural ambassadors of the City of New York, the Philharmonic is honored to host the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, which serves as a musical ambassador from China. The Concerts in the Parks are one of the true delights of summer in New York, and we are proud to again be visiting each of the boroughs of New York City with free concerts this summer, continuing this time-honored tradition of bringing great music to all the people of the city.”

Together they should make for one heck of a 105-minute concert.

Scheduled performances
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
“Polonaise” from Eugene Onegin

Leonard Bernstein
“Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story

Maurice Ravel
Boléro

Wilhelm Richard Wagner
Overture to Tannhäuser

Gioachino Antonio Rossini
“Largo al factotum della città” from The Barber of Seville

Charles-François Gounod
“Je veux vivre” from Romeo and Juliet

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“La ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni

Guang Zhao
Ode to the Expo

George Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue

A portion of the show will be filmed and shown on televisions in China. The free concert is located on the Great Lawn, and will be followed by a fireworks display. More information can be found here.