The China National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) Orchestra concluded its 10-day European tour with a performance on Friday in Hamburg, Germany's second-largest city.
At the city's iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the orchestra performed leading Chinese composer Chen Qigang's "Wu Xing" (The Five Elements), a musical work inspired by traditional Chinese culture, along with excerpts from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suite. The orchestra also collaborated with a Chopin Piano Competition laureate to present Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major.
The performance drew long-lasting applause from more than 2,000 audience members. As an encore, the orchestra performed Bizet's Prelude to Act 1 of Carmen.
"I really enjoyed myself. I liked the piano concert very much and in the beginning I liked Five Elements, so that was my favorite today, with many different new instruments I didn't know before," said an audience.
The orchestra also performed in the UK and Spain during its first multi-nation European tour in the 15 years since it was founded.
"This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the EU. Through this tour, we hope to build a new bridge for cultural exchange with symphonic music. We also hope European audiences can find emotional resonance in the music, thus further promoting mutual learning through exchanges between our civilizations," said Zhao Haiying, vice president of the NCPA.
Chinese orchestra concludes European tour in Hamburg
