“The Philadelphia Orchestras has seen many firsts, but few could have imagined this one,” writes David Patrick Stearns in Thursday’s (3/3) Philadelphia Inquirer. “In June 2017, the well-traveled ensemble will touch down at Genghis Khan International Airport in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar for concerts that may well be attended by nomads on horseback. ‘Or in Jaguars and Cadillacs,’ said Bulgaa Altangerel, the Mongolian ambassador to the United States. Such is 21st-century Mongolia, whose urban population constitutes one of the fastest-growing Asian economies…. A memorandum of understanding with the government of Mongolia was scheduled to be announced today at the Capitol in Washington…. The June 5-9 visit—part of a larger Asian tour—will include one traditional concert but also a range of outreach activities, including a side-by-side concert with local musicians. Music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct.… Craig Hamilton, the orchestra’s vice president of global initiatives, [said], ‘It’s very different from anything we’ve done…. We’ll be working with Mongolian throat-singers and dancers.’ ” Ryan Fleur, the orchestra’s vice president of advancement, said, “The government of Mongolia is incredibly enthusiastic about this and is willing to do whatever will ensure its success.”
Posted March 3, 2016
Photo of Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra by Chris Lee
