North Koreans give New York Philharmonic standing ovation for historic musical diplomacy concert

PYONGYANG, North Korea — The New York Philharmonic performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and North Korea's anthem for Pyongyang's communist elite Tuesday — a historic feat of musical diplomacy aimed at improving ties with the isolated nuclear power that considers the U.S. its mortal enemy.

The Philharmonic is the first major American cultural group to perform in the country and the largest delegation from the United States to visit its longtime foe.

The unprecedented concert, shown live on television inside North Korea, represents a warming in relations between the nations that remain technically at war and locked in negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs.

The country's tentative cultural ties to the West may be expanding. On Tuesday, a North Korean diplomat in London told The Associated Press that Pyongyang has invited rock guitarist Eric Clapton to perform. The diplomat, who did not give his name, confirmed reports in the British media that Clapton had been officially invited to Pyongyang — the first such invitation to a Western rock star to the country.

With the U.S. and North Korean flags at opposite ends of the flowered bedecked stage, the Philharmonic began with "Patriotic Song" — North Korea's national anthem, then played the U.S. anthem. The audience stood during both anthems and held their applause until the conclusion of the second.

"My colleagues of the New York Philharmonic and I are very pleased to play in this fine hall," Philharmonic music director Lorin Maazel said in English. Then in Korean, he told the audience: "Please have a good time."

Other works included Dvorak's "New World Symphony," written while the Czech composer lived in the United States and inspired by native American themes; Wagner's Prelude to Act 3 of "Lohengrin"; and Gershwin's "An American in Paris."

"Someday a composer may write a work entitled 'Americans in Pyongyang,"' Maazel said in introducing the Gershwin, drawing warm applause.

When the concert ended with a final encore of the traditional Korean folk song "Arirang" — beloved in both the North and South — the orchestra received a five-minute standing ovation, with many audience members cheering, whistling and waving to the beaming musicians.

"There may be a mission accomplished here. We may have been instrumental in opening a little door," Maazel said after the concert.