The Berliner Philharmonic orchestra, headed by British conductor Simon Rattle, will leave Berlin on Wednesday on a major three-week Asian performing tour.

The orchestra is to perform two concerts in each of the cities including Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo.

The orchestra will perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Third Symphony, Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, Asyla by Thomas Ades and works by Joseph Haydn.

The trip to Beijing will be the first by the philmonic since 1979 when it performed there under late director Herbert von Karajan.

The concerts in Tokyo are a part of the "Germany in Japan" year in which treasures of German culture are on show.

"We hope this program will demonstrate the range and capability of this outstanding orchestra, and we are especially excited for this visit," Rattle said.

The philharmonic also said that a camera team will accompany the orchestra and took footage of its performance.

The team belongs to the German production company Boomtown Media that earlier made the notable movie "Rhythm Is It!" about Rattle's outreach efforts to bring music to about 250 deprived children.
 
(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2005)