The Orchestra played its first concert in Beijing at the same venue as in 1973; The Palace of Nationalities. This is a careworn 1000-seater that, at least backstage, has not had much updating since the orchestra was last here.
The military issue grey walls and dim lighting backstage give it an eerie almost ghost-like dimension.
The Orchestra arrived mid-morning, rehearsed for two and a half ours from noon, ate luch and then played. The concert was attended mostly by dignateries with the only people not arriving by limo were the musicians!
The concert went well; Overture to Egmont, Yellow River Concerto; Lang Lang, Beethoven 6th and an Berstein's Overture to Candide as an encore.
