On Tuesday, July 13th at 8pm, Shanghai, China meets the Big Apple as the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Long Yu and featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang, shares the stage with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Andrey Boreyko, on the Great Lawn in Central Park. The event, celebrating The World Expo 2010 Shanghai, launches this year’s New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer.
This historic event marks the first occasion that another orchestra has shared the stage with the New York Philharmonic on the Great Lawn. With all eyes looking to Shanghai as it hosts the recently launched Expo 2010, The World’s Fair, which runs through October, the New York Philharmonic joins the global community in celebrating Shanghai, the cultural and economic capital of China. The New York Philharmonic last performed in Shanghai on the Asia 2008 tour, which was followed by the orchestra’s historic concert in Pyongyang, DPRK.
The program will begin with the New York Philharmonic performing the Polonaise from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and Ravel’s Boléro. The second half of the concert will feature the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performing the Overture to Wagner’s Tannhäuser; arias by Rossini, Gounod, and Mozart; and Jin Fuzai’s Go and See the World, the official song of the Expo, featuring soloists Ying Huang, soprano, and Changyong Liao, baritone. The event will conclude with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Lang Lang at the piano.
“I am honored to be the music director of the legendary Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, which has become a worldwide cultural ambassador for Shanghai,” said Long Yu. “Just in the current season we have toured in North America, Europe and Asia, and we are delighted to perform in the heart of New York City in a concert dedicated to this year’s World Expo, hosted by our home city. The musicians and I are very excited to be a part of this unique event.”
“As musical and cultural ambassadors of the City of New York, the Philharmonic is honored to host the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, which serves as a musical ambassador from China,” said Philharmonic President and Executive Director Zarin Mehta. “The Concerts in the Parks are one of the true delights of summer in New York, and we are proud to again be visiting each of the boroughs of New York City with free concerts this summer, continuing this time-honored tradition of bringing great music to all the people of the city.”
Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai, China, is being held on both banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai through October 31st, 2010. It is a World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions. The theme of the exposition is “Better City – Better Life” and signifies Shanghai’s new status in the 21st century as the “next great world city.” The expo Logo features the Chinese character for ‘world,’ modified to represent three people together with the 2010 date. It is the most expensive Expo in the history of the world’s fairs. The Shanghai World Expo is also the largest World’s Fair site ever, at 5.28 square km. More than 190 countries and more than 50 international organizations have registered to participate in the Shanghai World Expo, the largest ever. China expects to receive almost 100 foreign leaders and millions of people from across the world to come and visit the World Expo. More than 70–100 million visitors are expected to visit the expo, the largest attendance in history.
The Great Lawn is located mid-park from 79th to 85th Street. On the east side, take the 4,5, or 6 trains to 79th Street or 86th Street. Walk west three blocks to Fifth Avenue and enter the park at the entrances on 79th or 85th Streets. On the west side, take the B or C to 81st or 86th Streets and enter the park at 81st or 85th Streets. Follow the path or the crowds to the Great Lawn.
For more information about The 2010 New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks series, visit nyphil.org.
