Feature: Chinese orchestra celebrates Spring Festival with Egyptian audiences

Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-23 19:31:58|Editor: mingmei
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by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- At one of Egypt's renowned Opera House's theatres in Cairo, Heilongjiang Orchestra Symphony performed impressive melodies on Wednesday night, winning applause of the audiences.

The orchestra, which was conducted by Jiao Feihu, played Spring Festival Overture, Jasmine, and Puzzle Tune, as well as an Egyptian song "three heart beats" with the participation of an Egyptian drummer.

"We performed the best show for the Egyptian audiences," said Xu Xinhao, vice president of Heilongjiang Song and Dance Theater and deputy regimental commander of the symphony orchestra.

"I was overwhelmed by the audiences' happiness and enthusiasm. We traveled for a long way to reach here, and as messengers of art and culture, we hope to pass the friendship of the Chinese people to every Egyptian audience through music," said Xu.

Wang Shengping, a Chinese student at Cairo University, expressed her happiness for listening to the musical pieces that have been performed by the orchestra, especially it came amid the celebrations of the Spring Festival.

"The songs that were played are very popular in China. Some of them are also known worldwide, and I liked the atmosphere of the concert that remind me of my motherland," Wang said.

I was not intended to return to China this year, therefore, attending this ceremony is of great significance to me, she told Xinhua.

"The concert is very beautiful, and the music is cheerful, as it expresses the Chinese Spring Festival," said Ahmad al-Husseini, an Egyptian translator of Chinese language.

"It is very important to see such festivals in Egypt, because through music and culture, the relations between the Egyptian and Chinese people will be further promoted," said al-Husseini who travels to China more than five times per year spending two weeks each time.

He explained that the Belt and Road initiative does not only focus on financial and commercial exchanges, but also on cultural cooperation.

He also expressed his interest in the Chinese culture, saying that both Chinese civilization and Egyptian culture are the oldest civilizations in the world.

The two countries have many common points at the cultural level which made the harmony between the two people easy and spontaneous, he explained.

The Egyptian translator said that he is keen to attend similar artistic concerts in China, most dazzling of which he saw was a great musical show in Tibet that tells a story of the Chinese history, in which more than a thousand of actors and hundreds of animals participated.

Meanwhile, Bahgat Rashad, a 50-year-old physician, described the performance of the Chinese Heilongjiang Orchestra as "unique."

Rashad, who was accompanied by his wife, said "this is the first time that I have seen a performance of a Chinese orchestra. The musicians played beautiful compositions that made us live in the Chinese atmosphere."

He pointed out that such concerts are a good opportunity to introduce the Chinese culture and art.

Babur Muhammad from Afghanistan, also expressed his admiration for the Chinese music show.

"I am very happy to attend this party. It was a very beautiful performance and a beautiful Chinese night," Muhammad said.

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