The China Philharmonic Orchestra staged a grand performance Saturday in the Indonesian capital Jakarta to start their Maritime-Silk-Road tour. Along with Western classical music, the orchestra also played some Indonesian and Chinese favorites.
The China Philharmonic Orchestra staged a grand performance Saturday in the Indonesian capital Jakarta to start their Maritime-Silk-Road tour. Along with Western classical music, the orchestra also played some Indonesian and Chinese favorites.
Indonesian folk dancers opened the show with traditional dance to welcome guests. Young local musician Putri Ayu followed with her interpretation of "Jasmine Flower", a Chinese folk song popular both at home and abroad.
Then, under the baton of conductor Xia Xiaotang, the Chinese orchestra gave a symphonic rendition of the much loved Indonesian song, "Ayo Mama", and the famous Chinese work, "Moon Reflected on Second Spring".
Among the audience were China's ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng, and former Indonesian president, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.
Among the audience were China's ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng, and former Indonesian president, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.
"I say you have to do that often in such approach, because it brings people to people, and that's very important," Habibie said.
"They did a marvelous job: there was an Indonesian piece, there were two Chinese pieces, and the violin concerto of Mendelssohn, and the Symphony No. 7 of Beethoven. They were really world class, obviously," said Ilham A. Habibie, vice chairman of Habibie Center Foundation.
More than 300 people attended the concert at the Aula Simfonia Jakarta. The orchestra tours next to Sri Lanka and India in early May.