In Tuesday’s (7/13) New York Times, Daniel J. Wakin reports, “The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, a venerable ensemble that is on the upswing from hard times, will take the stage on [Central Park’s] Great Lawn for the second half of the New York Philharmonic’s free outdoor concert on Tuesday evening. The 80-member orchestra, led by the conductor Long Yu—the über-maestro of China—is here for a week to play the job. The New York Philharmonic is being paid a fee for the Shanghai Symphony’s appearance. The idea for the concert came in a meeting last year between Mr. Yu and Zarin Mehta, the Philharmonic’s president and executive director. Mr. Yu asked if the Philharmonic could visit Shanghai as part of Expo-related festivities [the Shanghai Expo opened on April 30]. Scheduling did not work. ‘We said, “Why don’t you be our guests,” ’ Mr. Mehta recounted. The idea for a joint concert emerged. … Mr. Yu said that the Shanghai Symphony was founded more than a century ago and operated through China’s periods of turmoil, including the arrival of Communist rule and the Cultural Revolution. Mr. Yu took over as music director last year.”
Posted July 14, 2010
