When Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian author Edward Said in 1998 conceived the idea of promoting understanding in the Middle East by gathering young musicians from Israel and Arab countries in an orchestra, it was regarded as just another idealistic dream. When the West- Eastern Divan Orchestra (named after Goethe's eponymous collection of poems) travelled to Ramallah in 2005, it was turned into a sensational film by EuroArts and Barenboim's work with these young people already created interest all over the world. Meanwhile the young ensemble has become almost a household name. This year the concert was originally planned to take place within the current international concert tour at the historic site of the 6,000-seat Roman Theatre in Amman, Jordan. For security reasons a new location had to be found at short notice and the concert was relocated to the picturesque Amalfi coast and the Ravello Festival. Conducted by Daniel Barenboim, the concert was dedicated to Richard Wagner: the young musicians played the Meistersinger Overture, Prelude and "Liebestod" from Tristan und Isolde and Act I from Die Walküre. The West-Eastern Divan is not only a musical project, it is also a forum for crosscultural dialogue among the young musicians and with the audience. In this broadcast EuroArts will transport the unmistakable atmosphere of an orchestra whose aim is to put music in the forefront of their vision of democratic and civilized life.

• published: 07 Mar 2013
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