The Russian Symphony Orchestra, one of the country's finest, has made it all the way to Beijing. But, like all good things, it was just for one night. On Sunday night, musicians treated audiences to an enticing program of native composers from Tchaikovsky to Rimsky-Korsakov.

In their only Beijing show, the Russian Symphony Orchestra gave local audiences a classical music performance with a purely Eastern European flavor. Under the direction of the 85-year-old conductor Veronica Dudarova, the artists performed Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Eugene Onegin and Italian Capriccio, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Snow Maiden and The Arabian Nights.

The orchestra has been in demand in concert halls across the world since its debut in 1991. It has won wide acclaim for interpretations of Russian classics, especially Tchaikovsky's masterpieces.

Despite lackluster promotion, the performance still attracted many of Beijing's classical music fans.

The orchestra has left Beijing, but lucky audience members still have their memories.

(CCTV.com April 27, 2004)