Pyongyang, Where the New York Philharmonic Makes History

The West-meets-East NY Philharmonic concert in Pyongyang with Maestro Lorin Maazel went off without a hitch, DPRK and USA flags flying on stage in opposite corners to represent each nation. We heard the national anthems of both countries, Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, George Gershwin's American in Paris, Farandole from Bizet's L'Arlésienne, Suite Number Two, Movement IV, Bernstein's Candide Overture, and Arirang, an old Korean folk song.

Maazel addressed the vast crowds in English, while a North Korean translator helped the audience. On ARTE, we were treated to a half time show of a French interview with Zarin Mehta. It looked like 95% of the audience was party directors and of the banker/lawyer contingent, despite Maazel’s wishes as staging, “a concert for the average citizen”.

Lorin Maazel gave a brilliant performance with the brassy, upbeat, and sparkling NY Philharmonic. They were the perfect ambassadors, and the performance was impossible to cut up. Maazel's unstoppable. He’s in Seoul on Thursday to close the Asian festival, and then he comes to Milan next week to play the entire Beethoven symphony cycle with the Symphonica Toscanini at Teatro Arcimboldi from March 4th-8th.

Here are some screenshots for those of you who didn't catch the event. You can find an Italian-language recap courtesy of Corriere here [video link!]:

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(above: the English --> Korean translator)

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(above: baggin' it for American in Paris)

(above: Glenn Dicterow, first violinist)

 

(above: Halftime show)

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Comments

[violainvilnius]

North Korea's 'general public' must have quite a different approach to going to concerts; it's only men that go and a few very feisty women. The wives will be told about it afterwards, presumably.

Wise move to programme mostly single-movement pieces. Saves the embarassment of applauding between movements!

[deadtenors]

OC, will you be checking the beethoven cycle? symphony marathons are almost as good as dvd marathons. how is the orchestra?

[inter mezzo]

you get some *great* tv in italy (in between the game shows) - thx for the coverage