Updated: Sept. 14
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The United States and China have a complicated relationship, dating back to 1949, when revolution put the Chinese Communist Party in power.
It prompted the U.S. to cut diplomatic ties with China. And things didn’t get much better until 1972, when President Richard Nixon famously “opened” China with a presidential visit. A year later, the Philadelphia Orchestra became the first American orchestra to tour the People’s Republic of China.
“There were so few Americans in the country in 1973, that to have this charter jet filled with 130, Philadelphians, all of a sudden land in Beijing, that was big news,” said Jennifer Lin, director of the documentary “Beethoven in Beijing” and author of the book of the same name.
The performance wasn’t just about music. It was diplomacy, Lin said.
“The Chinese side, in particular, treated this as if they were negotiating some sort of treaty,” she added. “So things like where they would play, how many times they would play, what they would play, what they wouldn’t play, that’s what their negotiations involved.”
“Beethoven in Beijing” highlights the significance and impact of this tour. The film was originally set to debut in March 2020 but had to be pushed back because of the pandemic. While in quarantine, Lin decided to write the book using leftover material from the film.
This month, the Philadelphia Orchestra will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historic tour — including another tour of China set for November.
Years later, the effects of the performance are still felt, Lin said.
“The Philadelphia Orchestra has maintained this contact with China,” she added. “They went in ‘73, they went back 20 years later, and they’ve been back another 10 times. That’s more than any other American orchestra.”
Lin details what happened on the trip and what it means for U.S. and Chinese relations 50 years later on the latest episode of KYW Newsradio In Depth. Listen to the full conversation in the player below, on the Audacy app or wherever you get your podcasts.