Feature: Romanian audience dazzled by Hong Kong orchestra's performance

Violinist Yao Jue and the Hong Kong String Orchestra perform at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, capital of Romania, on Nov. 18, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

BUCHAREST, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- In a resounding celebration of cultural unity, the iconic Bucharest Athenaeum played host to a two-hour mesmerizing performance by the Hong Kong String Orchestra and the virtuoso Chinese violinist, Yao Jue, on Saturday evening.

The concert, part of the orchestra's Central and Eastern Europe tour, showcased a diverse repertoire that transcended geographical boundaries. Among the featured pieces were the re-arranged Variation on the Pastoral by Sha Hankun, Italian Serenade by Hugo Wolf, Medley by Joseph Koo, the maestro renowned for scoring Bruce Lee's iconic films, and the timeless masterpieces such as Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony and Antonio Vivaldi's Seasons.

Yao, wielding her 1713 Stradivarius, alongside the 11 talented musicians of the Hong Kong String Orchestra, dazzled the audience of 800.

Ioana, a 60-year-old attendee, shared her sentiments, noting, "I enjoyed the Baroque part the most."

Iris, a nine-year-old ballet dancer, attended the concert out of her love for strings, harboring dreams of one day mastering the violin.

Adrian, a 37-year-old Ministry of Education employee, lauded the orchestra for seamlessly bridging two worlds through their skillful performances.

Viorel Isticioaia, former Romanian ambassador to China, marveled at the "warm atmosphere" and deemed the concert "exceptional."

Former Prime Minister of Romania Viorica Dancila appreciated the orchestra's ability to transport the audience to different parts of China through their renditions of Chinese compositions.

Three pieces -- one being Romanian and two Chinese -- were added at the finale as the audience refused to let the artists leave the stage.

Yao, expressing gratitude, remarked, "Through the music, people will understand better the culture, the differences between cultures ... Romanians are famous for their music, so we are happy we had such great feedback, we are encouraged to go on with our tour and to come back here."

Romania is the last stop of the Hong Kong String Orchestra's Central and Eastern Europe tour, which had taken it to Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia.

Violinist Yao Jue and the Hong Kong String Orchestra perform at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, capital of Romania, on Nov. 18, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)