Another Movement of Musical Diplomacy

NYT ^ | 12/11/07 | DANIEL J. WAKIN

[Borges]

If North Korea keeps its promises, potentially millions of its isolated, tightly controlled citizens are likely to hear their national anthem played on the radio by the New York Philharmonic. And then they will hear “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a quintessential American symbol, in a place long subjected to anti-American propaganda.

Today the orchestra is to present details of its planned trip to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, in late February. So far it has declined to discuss repertory. But State Department officials, who have advised the orchestra as it was deciding whether to accept an invitation, have said the government there will allow the American anthem.

Korea experts familiar with the closed, anti-United States nature of the government said the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in North Korea was a rather startling prospect.

[Borges]

Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre, foreground, and members of the New York Philharmonic boarding a plane for the Soviet Union in 1959.

[Borges]

PING

[Rane _H]

I expect the radio system will have “technical difficulties” during the American anthem.

[Borges]

This is a Test of the Emergency Broadcast System...Our Supreme Leader has indigestion...so no food for a week.

[sitetest]

Another N Korea/NY Philharmonic story ping!

[gusopol3]

too bad Leonard Bernstein can’t be there to endorse Kim for POTUS.

[garyhope]

Leonard Berstein had a wife? What for? I don’t think he availed himself of her “wifely duties” (if you know what I mean).

[Borges]

Apparently he married her to increase his chances of getting the Conductorship of the Boston Symphony whose board was very conservative back then and were aware of the rumors about him. He had three children with her and eventually left for her a man only to come back to her when she became ill with Cancer.