The evening of Feb. 17, 2002 heard the Chinese melodious rhythms resound once again in the golden concert hall of Vienna - the "Rumbling Train", the sentimental melody of the "Butterfly Lovers" and the vigorous and resolute melody of "against the strong gales". When the young Chinese artists stroke out these melodies in symphony with unique rhythms and cadences, over 2000 enthusiastic audiences in the golden concert hall were greatly moved. They hailed the Chinese artists and brought down the house with their warm applause.

Vienna is renowned as a city of music while the golden hall is the "Holy of the Holies" for music. During recent years the Chinese artists have time and again stepped into this unique hall with the Chinese folk music and won the great appreciation of the audiences there. When the Chinese folk music achieved time and again successes, Air China Millenium China Spring Festival Concert Troupe followed in the wake. Assembling the aces from among the new generation and vocal music circle good at performing western music they started to show off before the audiences in this music city the charm and genius of the Chinese in western classic music.

At the concert that evening, Peng Jiapeng, the young conductor who twice conducted the Chinese folk music performances in the golden hall displayed to the audience his none the less ability and accomplishment in conducting western classic music. The "Rumbling Train" by Liu Yuan with a sprightly rhythm displayed the well-trained artistic attainment of an oriental artist in philharmonic orchestra. The "Butterfly Lovers", the violin concerto told the western audiences a Chinese traditional love-story in their own musical language. "Hua Bang Zi" was played in the form of Chinese two-stringed fiddles with the philharmonic orchestra, giving the audiences a rich representation of the Chinese stringed musical instruments. In addition, the "Dance Melody of North China" by Huang Anlun, the "Folk Customs of Chinese Nation" by Bao Yuankai and the "Against the Strong Gales" by Guo Wenjing as well as the "Ode to the Snow" by Chen Peixun, all has presented to the audiences in the west one splendid picture after another the spiritual features of the Chinese nation.

As the performers are all aces sorted out from among the young singers of national prize competition their performances had naturally become a spotlight of the concert. The song "You are my pleasure" sung by Dai Yuqiang, a tenor of international fame won a long and warm applause with his lofty dispositions. The songs "why...I feel so excited?" "A fine day" sung by Yao Hong and Ma Mei who ever joined the three world-famous tenors in the singing have time and again brought excitement of all audiences to climax with their pure and euphonic timbres while the singings of others are also quite pleasing and brimming over with enthusiasm.

Present at the concert were Chairman of the Austrian National Council, Chinese ambassador to Austria and more than 30 envoys and missions of many countries to Austria as well as UN representatives in Vienna. The concert was cosponsored by the People's Government of Hubei, CCTV, Hubei Educational Bureau, Air China and other units.

( February 21, 2002)