On its first visit to China the Russian National Orchestra (RNO), under the baton of world famous conductor Mikhail Pletnev, made a brilliant debut in Beijing Saturday.
Guest pianist Li Yundi, the gold medal winner at the 14th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition, played Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. 1" with the orchestra.
The orchestra, one of the world's top ten orchestras, also performed Rossini's "Gazza Ladra Overture" and Sibelius' Symphony No. 2.
RNO was founded in 1990 by the great pianist Pletnev and its recordings of masterpieces by famous Russian composers, including Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, have been widely acclaimed.
In the past 10 years, the orchestra has performed at important music galas as distinguished guests, and have been called "a music miracle".
The China Performing Arts Agency, which sponsored the concert, said that the Chinese and Russian artists had reached an artistic pinnacle when performing together.
(Xinhua News Agency February 03, 2002)
