VOA常速英语2008年-New York Philharmonic Receives Standing Ovation

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
26 February 2008

North Koreans applauded the historic first performance in their capital by a U.S. symphony orchestra. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin looks at an event some call a watershed¹ in thawing² chilled ties between the two countries.

Members of the New York Philharmonic brought the North Korean audience to their feet from the first few notes, when they played the communist state's anthem³.

Then, they moved on to what many view as a historic first; the orchestra played the U.S. national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, as the event was broadcast live to television and radio audiences all over North Korea.

North Korean government propaganda has always portrayed⁴ the United States as a hostile aggressor. The orchestra's visit is being widely described as a form of music diplomacy⁵, with similarities to ping-pong diplomacy opened by the Nixon administration toward China in the 1970s.

After playing Czech composer Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony", Philharmonic Conductor Lorin Maazel used humor to introduce a performance of George Gershwin's "An American in Paris."

"Someday a composer may write a work entitled 'Americans in Pyongyang," said Maazel.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il did not attend the performance. Other senior North Korean officials were in the audience.

The repertoire⁶ concluded with an arrangement of Arirang - a Korean folk song that doubles as a sort of unofficial national anthem in both North and South Korea.

Experts point out that much has changed in North Korea since it began dramatically increasing contacts with South Korea, beginning with a summit in 2000. They say the country is not as isolated⁷ as it once was, and events like the Philharmonic performance make vital inroads in opening the North even further.

But Brian Myers, a specialist in North Korean official propaganda at South Korea's Dongseo University, says the concert was more about giving Americans an illusion of rapprochement than changing North Korea. He points out that months after the event was confirmed, Pyongyang's official media still called for a "blood reckoning" with the United States.

Myers says Kim Jong Il needs anti-American sentiment to shift the blame for the North's extreme poverty, caused by decades of economic mismanagement.

"If he surrenders his anti-Americanism he simply puts himself in the position of being somebody who is simply directing the distribution of aid from overseas, and that is not a charismatic position for a leader to be in," explained Myers. "And, it eliminates all reason for North Korea to exist as a separate state."

South Korea's Foreign Ministry⁸ issued a statement praising the concert as a chance to improve mutual⁹ understanding and trust between North Korea and the United States.

1 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

2 thawing   

n.熔化，融化v.（气候）解冻( thaw的现在分词 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化

参考例句：

• The ice is thawing. 冰在融化。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• It had been snowing and thawing and the streets were sloppy. 天一直在下雪，雪又一直在融化，街上泥泞不堪。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

3 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

4 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

7 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。