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The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its new music director, Manfred Honeck, is touring the Far East in May 2009.
This tour includes performances in Beijing and Shanghai, China and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The tour is the Orchestra’s first international tour with Honeck at the helm. The National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing is the site for two concerts on May 14 and 15, 2009. Located near Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People, the hall’s construction was completed in 2007. Considered the premiere performing arts center in Beijing, the exterior of the theater is a titanium and glass dome that is completely surrounded by a man-made lake – the structure is said to look like an egg floating on water, and is colloquially referred to as “The Egg.” This is the PSO’s first performance in Beijing since 1987 (its only prior performance on mainland China).
A concert on May 16, 2009 at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center marks the Orchestra’s Shanghai debut. The Orchestra also makes its debut in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Kaohsiung will host the 2009 World Games in July. This 11-day, international multi-sport event, for sports that are not featured in the Olympic Games, is held every four years. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is honored to be invited to open the World Games Stadium with a concert on May 20, 2009.
Repertoire for the concerts in China includes: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony; Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor” featuring soloist Orion Weiss; Mahler’s First Symphony; Christopher Rouse’s Rapture; and Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration.
In Taiwan, the PSO will perform Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and the final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, featuring soloists Susanne Bernhard, soprano; Jo-pei Weng, mezzo–soprano; Cesar Gutierrez, tenor, Gregg Baker, bass–baritone; and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor.
All overseas touring by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is made possible by the Hillman Endowment for International Performances.
The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA), the marketing affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, plans to join the PSO on the Asia tour.
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