BEIJING (AP) — The Philadelphia Orchestra returns to Beijing on Tuesday for a milestone tour commemorating the 50th anniversary of its historic performance in China. This tour is a significant symbol of the improving ties between the two countries, especially with the highly anticipated meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping on the horizon.
The orchestra’s first visit to China took place in September 1973, during a time when U.S.-China relations were starting to normalize after Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit China’s mainland.
For this tour, the orchestra has announced that 14 members, including 73-year-old veteran violinist Davyd Booth who was part of the orchestra’s first tour, will be traveling to China.
Booth expressed his excitement about the long-standing connection with China, saying, “This constant 50-year connection with China has been really very deep and very wonderful,” upon arriving at Beijing’s Capital International Airport.
The ensemble will be performing at the National Centre for the Performing Arts alongside the China National Symphony Orchestra, starting on Friday. Additionally, they will be visiting the cities of Tianjin, Suzhou, and Shanghai, where they will conduct master classes and perform chamber music at schools and cultural venues.
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s visit coincides with the American Ballet Theatre’s tour in China, which began in Shanghai last week. These cultural exchanges follow a series of high-profile visits from the United States, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
As the U.S. and China gradually restore contacts that were disrupted over the past four years due to the pandemic and strained bilateral relations, there has been a growing sense of optimism. The upcoming meeting between Biden and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco further demonstrates the efforts being made to rebuild the relationship.
Previously, the Philadelphia Orchestra had visited China 12 times, with the most recent visit occurring in May 2019 before the pandemic.
