Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    AS one of the top symphony orchestras in the world, the Wiener Symphoniker from Austria brought a high-level concert for the local audience at Poly Theater in Nanshan District last night.

    It is the second time that the orchestra has visited Shenzhen since its first visit Dec. 31, 2015 for the New Year’s Concert. At last night’s performance, the Wiener Symphoniker performed the most famous German and Austrian classical music.

    In terms of ticket sales, last night’s concert was said to be the most sold-out show of the three-week Belt & Road Shenzhen International Music Festival, which is presenting a total of 16 concerts to Shenzhen audiences until April 16, said an official from the city’s publicity department.

    The orchestra’s repertoire included Brahms: 3 Hungarian Dances, Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 and Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, echoing the theme of the music festival, “Belt and Road.”

    “Hungary is one of the key Eastern European countries along the Belt and Road, and we think 3 Hungarian Dances can greatly illustrate the theme of this international music festival. The piece will be played as the overture of the concert, which would set a joyful tone,” said Zuo Chi, an executive in charge of the music festival.

    Johnnes Neubert, head of the Wiener Symphoniker and also the general manager of the symphony orchestra, shared his impression of Chinese audiences yesterday afternoon, before the concert took place.

    “My impression of Chinese audiences is that they are very enthusiastic and if they like something about the music they show it, which I like very much,” said Neubert.

    The general manager also said that he believes everyone can enjoy music that they perceive as good, and that it doesn’t matter if the music comes from the East or the West. “Western classical music is quite new compared to traditional music, but people will love the music as long as they enjoy listening to it,” said Neubert.

    More concerts will be presented for local audiences in the following days, including the Silk Road Fantasy Concert presented by Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra today, the Music and Dance of the Ganges River brought by India’s Bollywood on Friday and Saturday as well as the Far Away Mast Concert performed by Macao Orchestra on Sunday.