The Pyongyang Concert - New York Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel -Blu-ray-

Product Description On February 26, 2008, the world watched as the New York Philharmonic gave the first performance by an American orchestra in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Those lucky enough to be present will never forget that historic evening, when people from two long-divided nations were united through the beauty and power of music. By the end of the final encore, both the audience and the musicians onstage stood waving to each other in a new-found spirit of understanding. We are honored and pleased that through this DVD we can share this transformative experience with new audiences for years to come -- New York Philharmonic President, Zarin Mehta. Hundreds of millions watched the historic concert on television, now exclusively on DVD: the New York Philharmonic concert in Pyongyang. Music became diplomacy when this courageous musical project united Americans and North Koreans. The musicians went from strength to strength in a beautiful program which illustrated the excellency of the orchestra, and Lorin Maazel once more proved his reputation as one of the best contemporary conductors. Includes previously unreleased documentary with 53 minutes of exclusive material. The first classical concert release on Blu-ray Disc offers professional technical standards in the comfort of your own home. Review For at least 90 minutes in a theatre in Pyongyang it was possible … to believe that 55 years of cold-war hostility were coming to an end. --James Miles, The Economist, 2008 Astounding was the fact that the orchestra played the North Korean national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner on a stage flanked by flags of both nations … a rare moment of harmony, proving the power of music that bridges the divides. --Cho Jae-hyon, The Korea Times (South Korea), 2008