????(From page 1) ????Francesco Bandarin, assistant director-general for culture of UNESCO, also expressed his thanks to the city’s contribution and the artists on behalf of UNESCO. ????“Shenzhen has become an important UNESCO world cultural partner,” he said. ????Before the concert, a 4-minute video introducing Shenzhen was shown in the concert hall. The video introduced Shenzhen’s development in the piano, library and design areas. ????Ninety members of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and 39 members of a local choir in Paris performed the symphony. ????“It was the first time for most of us to sing in Chinese. We could not read Chinese, so we put French phonetic symbols to help us sing,” said Gil Poy, a choir member. ????Poy traveled to China around 1993. ????“I think it is a great experiment to interpret Chinese traditional culture through a Western music form. Although I don’t understand Chinese, I can feel that this piece of work is an ode to peace. Some of the melodies remind me of the great experience I had and the warm-hearted Chinese people I met when I was in China,” Poy said. ????The symphony drew long applause after the final note. Zhang Guoyong, artistic director of Shanghai Opera House and conductor of the concert, led the performers in three encores. At the end, the orchestra and the chorus gave another performance of the coda. ????“Tonight’s concert was very impressive, introducing a new China and new Chinese culture to me,” said Roselyne Bachelot, former French minister of health. ????“I think this concert was a great success. A lot of friends told me that they were very impressed by this magnificent composition,” said Lu Jun, the cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in France. “Next year is the 50th anniversary for the diplomatic relationship between China and France. I hope that the orchestra can perform the symphony again in France.” ????Mehri Madarshahi, president of the Melody for Dialogue among Civilizations Association, was appointed as an International Adviser of Shenzhen for her great contributions in promoting cultural exchanges between Shenzhen and the world. | 