Recently, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra embarked on a European tour spanning several countries, appearing at two renowned Italian music festivals—the Emilia-Romagna Festival and the Tuscania Festival. Performing in historic churches and open-air theaters under the stars, the orchestra presented a series of acclaimed concerts that blended Eastern and Western musical traditions, showcasing the charm of Chinese music on Europe’s classical music stage and fostering cultural exchange.
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On August 23, led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Lin Daye, the orchestra performed at the prestigious Emilia-Romagna Festival in the historic Cathedral of Forlì. Taking advantage of the cathedral’s exceptional natural acoustics, the ensemble delivered orchestral versions of Haydn’s Sonata in E-flat Major No. 7 and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, highlighting the elegance and profound depth of Western classical music. A major highlight was Fly To The Sky, an original symphonic suite by composer and the orchestra’s Music Director Li Shaosheng, marking the work’s Italian church-stage debut.
On August 24, young conductor Chen Yanlin led the orchestra to the ancient town of Tuscania, where it presented a special “Opera Night” at the open-air Anfiteatro Torre di Lavello. Performing for discerning local audiences, the orchestra brought precision and vitality to overtures from Les Vêpres siciliennes and The Barber of Seville. Chinese tenor Xue Haoyin and Italian soprano Sara Ghiglia joined forces to perform celebrated arias from Cavalleria rusticana and La bohème. The finale, “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici,” inspired enthusiastic audience participation, capturing the distinctive charm of Italian opera.
On August 25, the orchestra returned to the Anfiteatro Torre di Lavello for the tour’s grand finale. Against a backdrop of ancient castles, rolling hills and the starry sky, the ensemble performed the overture to Les Vêpres siciliennes, Fly To The Sky, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor in full. The audience responded with a standing ovation and prolonged applause.
Through this Italian tour, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to Western classical and operatic masterpieces while amplifying the voice of original Chinese music, creating a cross-cultural artistic dialogue that transcended borders through the universal language of music.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Voters in Iceland went to the polls Saturday to decide whether the country should resume long-stalled negotiations to become a member of the European Union, in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to control nearby Greenland.
The yes-or-no referendum question is simple enough for the 265,000 or so eligible voters: Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?
A yes vote would trigger negotiations with the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, covering 35 areas, from the economy to human rights. Some supporters believe the European Union could offer protections if Trump ever made similar threats against Iceland. They also see economic stability in joining the bloc.
If voters reject the proposal, that’s it, for a generation at least. Opponents have rallied around the threat EU membership would pose to Iceland’s rich fishing stocks and the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone.
Experts expect a close vote.
More than 20% of voters cast early ballots in advance of election day, Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV said.
When Trump talked about U.S. control of Greenland, particularly at the start of this year, he shifted the mood in Iceland, just 180 miles (290 km) from the self-governing territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally. Some Icelanders were particularly alarmed when he mistakenly named their country four times while speaking about his designs on Greenland.
Though Trump has indicated he won't use force to seize Greenland, his interest doesn't appear to have cooled.
The underlying worry among many in Iceland is clear — if Greenland is seized, is Iceland next?
The ensuing question is clear too: if yes, does EU membership provide a bulwark against any new Trump ambition in the North Atlantic?
Iceland’s left-leaning coalition government, elected in 2024, certainly thinks so, and that’s largely why it moved forward with the EU referendum that it had planned for next year.
“We can’t really trust the U.S. anymore,” said Hildur Knútsdóttir, a horror fiction writer who plans to vote in favor of EU membership.
EU talk is nothing new in Iceland, which formally ended its previous effort to join the bloc in 2015, largely over concerns of what membership would mean for its rich fish resources.
The hefty cod and haddock catches from the chilled Arctic waters around Iceland are central to the national identity too. Descendants of Vikings who settled in Iceland have lived off the sea for centuries.
With much of the country's economy geared toward its lucrative and well-managed fishing industry, fishing rights have been a talking point in the run-up to the referendum.
Joining the 27-nation EU would require Iceland to be part of the bloc’s common fisheries policy that would allow Spanish, Dutch and other trawlers into its waters. The government has indicated it would seek a special arrangement, potentially a full opt-out from the policy.
In the final days ahead of the vote, Iceland’s prime minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, has sought to remind voters that the referendum is not the end of the matter, and that there will be another referendum if and when Iceland reaches a membership agreement with the EU.
“This is not an election about membership and not about adaptation, as there will be another referendum on an accession agreement if the result is yes,” Frostadóttir told a rally.
For many, Iceland's national identity and ultimately its culture is on the ballot too.
Iceland, which gained independence from Denmark in 1944, has a proud history of refusing to be pushed around by bigger and richer European nations. It even fought — and won — the so-called Cod Wars with Britain in the 1970s over its fishing grounds.
Backers of EU membership say it’s best for Iceland to get closer to its European neighbors to combat issues that don't respect borders, such as climate change. They also say the euro would bring more stability than Iceland's volatile króna currency.
Opponents say the current setup is just right and that Iceland already enjoys all the benefits of European integration without the sovereignty compromises that inevitably come with full membership. They cite trade deals, such as one with China, that are more favorable.
“I think Iceland is better off outside of the EU, within the close collaboration with the EU,” former prime minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, told The Associated Press.
Melley reported from London. Pan Pylas contributed to this story.
