4. Music Bridges Cultures

The China Philharmonic Orchestra, accompanied by the Shanghai Opera House Chorus, performed at the Paul VI Audience Hall of the  on May 7 during their European tour. Pope Benedict XVI was in the audience. It was the first time for a Chinese orchestra to perform in the Vatican.

During the one-hour performance, Mozart's Requiem and the well-known Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower were presented. The concert is unprecedented, as Beijing and the Vatican have had no diplomatic ties since 1951. As a people-to-people cultural exchange activity, the performance was seen by the media to be a sign that the relations between Beijing and Vatican are moving forward through cultural and art exchanges.