New York Philharmonic
Orchestra’s Concert in North
Korea Breaks New Ground
On February 26, 2008, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
will make history when it performs a concert at the East Pyongyang Grand
Theater in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The Korea Society is proud to have played a role in
facilitating this remarkable cultural exchange, lending its assistance to the orchestra
and DPRK officials as they developed concert plans throughout 2007 and into
2008. The Korea Society was involved from the very first meetings between DPRK
diplomats and the New York Philharmonic, which led to the formal invitation
from the DPRK. The Korea Society’s help was instrumental assuring the success
of the Philharmonic’s advance teams, and in facilitating the logistics that
will make the performance possible.
The Korea Society believes that this performance—which will
be broadcast live around the globe and, in an unprecedented development, within
the DPRK itself—is an important and welcome milestone in U.S. relations on the
Korean Peninsula. Officials have now confirmed that the
concert will also be broadcast over DPRK radio. (Some estimates place North Korean
radio penetration between 3.5 and 4 million sets, and television penetration at
250,000 to 500,000 TV sets.)
The New York Philharmonic Orchestra will stay in Pyongyang from February
25–27, during which time North Korean music students will have the opportunity
to attend special master classes with orchestra members. Conducted by Lorin
Maazel, music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the concert
program will include the national anthems of both the DPRK and the United States, as well as the prelude to Act III
of Wagner’s Lohengrin, Gershwin’s American in Paris and Dvořák’s Symphony
No. 9, From the New
World.
Viewers in metropolitan New York will able to view a broadcast of
the concert on WNET/Thirteen at 8:00 PM on
Tuesday, February 26. The concert will be carried nationwide on PBS’ Great Performances
program. Viewers outside the New York
area should check local listings for
time and date. A DVD of the concert will be released by EuroArts in spring of 2008.
Following their performance in Pyongyang,
the New York Philharmonic Orchestra will travel to Seoul, where they will play a companion
concert on February 28.
Zarin Mehta, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s president
and executive director, has said that "this journey is a manifestation of
the power of music to unite people.” Indeed, cultural exchanges such as this
concert are powerful symbols of good will that can pave the way for closer ties
between the DPRK, the United States
and Republic of Korea in the future. With that hope, The
Korea Society wishes the New York Philharmonic Orchestra an excellent performance.
Additional links:
Wall Street Journal - An American in Pyongyang
Wall Street Journal - Why We'll Play Pyongyang
