The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will pay its first visit to Shanghai next February to play a pair of concerts.

The orchestra will be lead by well-known Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa.

Sponsored by the Shanghai Volkswagen Co Ltd, the world-renowned orchestra will stage two concerts at the Shanghai Grand Theater on February 25 and 26.

The concerts will feature the debut of Bruckner's No 2 Symphony in China and a representative collection of their signature works.

Before arriving in Shanghai, the orchestra will stage a concert at the People's Hall in Beijing on February 24, said Liu Xiaokang, vice general manager with Beijing E-Tong Entertainment, which is organizing the tour.

(eastday.com December 15, 2003)