By Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin
Published on 02/27/2008
The Examiner
Yeas and Nays
Just as the New York Philharmonic was preparing for its unprecedented journey to North Korea, the newly installed deputy chief of mission for the Chinese Embassy welcomed his own musical ambassador to Washington this past weekend.
Minister Xie Feng hosted a dinner and recital at his Kalorama residence, featuring Chinese cello virtuoso Wang Jian, who was in town to perform at Sidney Harman Hall on Tuesday night.
Wang has a unique connection to the West. When he was 10 years old, he had a role in the 1981 Academy Award film, “Mao to Mozart,” as he played for violinist Isaac Stern, one of the first western musicians to visit China after the Cultural Revolution.
