Wuxi Symphony Orchestra performs at the Ljubljana Festival in Slovenia on Aug 20. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]
The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra made its debut at the Ljubljana Festival in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, on Aug 20, performing at the Gallus Hall in Cankarjev Dom as the only Chinese orchestra invited to this year's edition.
Founded in 1953, the Ljubljana Festival is Slovenia's largest and most influential international summer music event, widely regarded as one of Central Europe's premier cultural gatherings.
Under the baton of artistic director and chief conductor Lin Daye, the Wuxi ensemble opened its program with the overture to Giuseppe Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani, delivering a fiery interpretation of Italian opera that resonated with the Balkan audience.
The evening's centerpiece was the orchestra's performance of Feitian (Flying Apsaras), an original symphonic suite. The work, which draws on Eastern cosmological themes, struck a deep chord with listeners.
The second half featured a performance of Johannes Brahms' Symphony No 1 in C minor, a repertoire with deep roots in the Austro-German tradition that has long been celebrated on the very stage where the orchestra stood. The ensemble's disciplined yet passionate reading of the final movement moved the entire audience to its feet.
The audience offers the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra a standing ovation. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]
"This is the first time in the festival's more than 70-year history that a Chinese orchestra has received a standing ovation," said Darko Brlek, the festival's director. He expressed hope for continued partnership with the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra following the success of their first joint effort.
Zhao Binghui, charge d'affaires ad interim at the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, described the orchestra as a bridge for cultural exchange between the two countries. Wuxi, he said, has been designated a UNESCO City of Music and boasts a strong musical instrument industry.
Earlier in the day, orchestra members took to the streets of Ljubljana for an impromptu performance of The Beauty of Taihu Lake, drawing a crowd of onlookers who responded with warm cheers.
The Ljubljana concert marked the first stop on the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra's 2026 European tour.
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