PYONGYANG: The powerful melodies of Dvorak and Gershwin filled a Pyongyang concert hall on Tuesday as the New York Philharmonic played an historic concert aimed at improving US ties with communist North Korea.

The groundbreaking performance by the oldest US symphony orchestra – which began with the North Korean anthem and the "Star-Spangled Banner" – comes amid a tense stand-off over the hardline regime's nuclear programmes.

It is the first ever major visit by US musicians to North Korea, which in 2002 was labelled by US President George W. Bush as part of an "axis of evil" because of its controversial nuclear drive.

It coincided with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging China, on a visit to Beijing, to exert all its influence with close ally Pyongyang to ensure the reclusive regime moves forward with nuclear disarmament.

The 106-member symphony, the largest US delegation ever to visit the North, was greeted with applause as it took the stage, adorned with the US and North Korean flags, at the packed 1,500-seat East Pyongyang Grand Theatre.

"My colleagues of the New York Philharmonic and I are pleased to play in this fine hall today," musical director Lorin Maazel told the audience after a rendition of Richard Wagner's "Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin".

Before raising his baton to lead the group in Antonin Dvorak's stirring "New World" Symphony, Maazel said in Korean: "Please have a good time."

Then, as introducing the work of US composer George Gershwin, Maazel said: "It is called 'An American in Paris'. Someday an American may write a work called 'Americans in Pyongyang'."

Washington and Pyongyang have remained technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended only in an armistice.

But Tuesday's concert was supported by the State Department and was televised live in North Korea and also around the world.

Acknowledging the unique opportunity of performing in a hermit nation all but sealed off to the rest of the world, the famed orchestra's directors said they hoped to showcase the talent of American artists.

"We were really caught off guard" by the invitation to play in Pyongyang, Maazel told AFP ahead of the concert.

He said the orchestra's leaders debated for a long time whether it would be appropriate, and were briefed by Christopher Hill, the senior US negotiator in six-nation talks on dismantling the North's nuclear programmes.

Maazel added: "This is a little door being opened by members of the North Korean government who felt it was time that a door is opened.

"When the North Koreans see us live on TV they will see North Americans who are beautiful people... people who care about the arts, who don't have fangs, who are passionate about their work, speaking a language they can relate to."

The Philharmonic's executive director and president, Zarin Mehta, said Hill had given the concert his endorsement.

"It was felt by Mr Hill that showing this side of our Western culture in Pyongyang would help in pursing the talks in a much better atmosphere – no guarantees," Mehta told AFP.

Mehta said the orchestra did not know which senior communist officials may attend the performance other than the minister of culture, amid speculation on whether Kim Jong-Il, the North's reclusive leader, may show up.

On Wednesday, select Philharmonic musicians are scheduled to perform chamber music with members of North Korea's State Symphony Orchestra. Maazel is also to conduct a rehearsal of the Korean group before the Philharmonic heads to Seoul.

"I hope that our gesture and this type of event will gradually warm things up and lead to a better future for all of us," Lisa E. Kim, the Philharmonic's associate principal second violinist, told AFP on the eve of the concert.

"Music has no boundaries – it's the best way to communicate."


- AFP/so