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| Barenboim gets ovation in Cairo | Barenboim gets ovation in Cairo |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| In a rare performance by a prominent Israeli musician in Egypt, Daniel Barenboim has received a rapturous reception at the Cairo Opera House. | In a rare performance by a prominent Israeli musician in Egypt, Daniel Barenboim has received a rapturous reception at the Cairo Opera House. |
| Mr Barenboim conducted the Cairo Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. | Mr Barenboim conducted the Cairo Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. |
| The famed conductor and pianist has long strived to use music to bring people together in the region. | The famed conductor and pianist has long strived to use music to bring people together in the region. |
| He is a supporter of Palestinian statehood and a critic of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. | He is a supporter of Palestinian statehood and a critic of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. |
| 'Human project' | 'Human project' |
| His visit - the result of an invitation from the Austrian embassy in Cairo - is believed to be the first by a prominent Israeli musician in Egypt, one of the few Arab states to have signed a peace deal with Israel. | His visit - the result of an invitation from the Austrian embassy in Cairo - is believed to be the first by a prominent Israeli musician in Egypt, one of the few Arab states to have signed a peace deal with Israel. |
| As well as conducting the orchestra, Mr Barenboim played Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata. | As well as conducting the orchestra, Mr Barenboim played Beethoven's Pathetique piano sonata. |
| Every military victory of Israel has left it politically weaker Daniel Barenboim | Every military victory of Israel has left it politically weaker Daniel Barenboim |
| Answering criticism that the time was not right for such a visit, following Israel's offensive in Gaza earlier this year, Mr Barenboim said bringing musicians from both sides together was not a political project, but a human one. | Answering criticism that the time was not right for such a visit, following Israel's offensive in Gaza earlier this year, Mr Barenboim said bringing musicians from both sides together was not a political project, but a human one. |
| "For 60 years they have been trying with force and they haven't solved anything," he said during rehearsals for the concert. "Every military victory of Israel has left it politically weaker." | "For 60 years they have been trying with force and they haven't solved anything," he said during rehearsals for the concert. "Every military victory of Israel has left it politically weaker." |
| "I hope very much that this, my first visit to Egypt, will maybe allow another way of thinking to come," he added. | "I hope very much that this, my first visit to Egypt, will maybe allow another way of thinking to come," he added. |
| The concert was largely welcomed in Egypt, but has been criticised by some who feel Egypt should resist closer ties with Israel until a final peace deal is reached with the Palestinians. | The concert was largely welcomed in Egypt, but has been criticised by some who feel Egypt should resist closer ties with Israel until a final peace deal is reached with the Palestinians. |
| The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, refused an invitation to attend from the Egyptian culture minister. | The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, refused an invitation to attend from the Egyptian culture minister. |
| 'Mutual ignorance' | 'Mutual ignorance' |
| Mr Barenboim founded the joint Arab-Israeli orchestra, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, with the late Palestinian-American writer Edward Said in 1999 to further cultural exchange between young people in Israel and the Arab world. | Mr Barenboim founded the joint Arab-Israeli orchestra, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, with the late Palestinian-American writer Edward Said in 1999 to further cultural exchange between young people in Israel and the Arab world. |
| His views earned him an honorary Palestinian Authority passport in 2007. | His views earned him an honorary Palestinian Authority passport in 2007. |
| The conductor, a former child prodigy pianist who moved to Israel from his native Argentina at the age of nine, said on Wednesday that he had always been curious about life in Arab countries. | The conductor, a former child prodigy pianist who moved to Israel from his native Argentina at the age of nine, said on Wednesday that he had always been curious about life in Arab countries. |
| He said too few Israelis were curious about their neighbours, and that the ignorance went both ways. | He said too few Israelis were curious about their neighbours, and that the ignorance went both ways. |
| "To put all Israelis in one basket and say we boycott, we don't want anything to do with them, anyone who goes there is an enemy, this is no good," he said in Cairo. | "To put all Israelis in one basket and say we boycott, we don't want anything to do with them, anyone who goes there is an enemy, this is no good," he said in Cairo. |
| "It would be much better that Egyptians, and Syrians, and Palestinians, and Jordanians, and Lebanese, will go to Tel Aviv, and explain their point of view." | "It would be much better that Egyptians, and Syrians, and Palestinians, and Jordanians, and Lebanese, will go to Tel Aviv, and explain their point of view." |
| Despite leading the Divan Orchestra around the globe, the Cairo performance is only Mr Barenboim's third in the Arab world, after performances in Morocco in 2003 and the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2003. | |
| Two concerts in Qatar and Egypt were called off in January because of safety concerns for the Divan Orchestra musicians during the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip. | Two concerts in Qatar and Egypt were called off in January because of safety concerns for the Divan Orchestra musicians during the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip. |
| Did you attend the concert in Cairo? What do you think of Mr Barenboim's attempts to bring Israeli and Arab musicians together? Send us your comments using the form below: | Did you attend the concert in Cairo? What do you think of Mr Barenboim's attempts to bring Israeli and Arab musicians together? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |
| I was present at the Daniel Barenboim concert at the Cairo Opera House. The thunderous applause he received throughout the evening was an indicator of how he performed as a pianist and conductor. At the end of the concert he personally shook the hand of every musician in the orchestra and during all this handshaking the applause continued. Daniel Barenboim is a truly great musician and human being. Those who did not attend missed great music and great ideas to their own great loss. >Nelle Evenhouse, Cairo, Egypt | |
| The Cairo orchestra never sounded better in an extraordinary performance of Beethoven's Fifth. At the end while the audience stood clapping Barenboim shook the hands of each of the musicians. It was a moving experience on many levels.Jere L Bacharach, Seattle, WA USA | |
| It is so heartening to hear that Egyptian public was mature enough to receive him warmly despite of a general animosity towards Israel. May be we will even see an Egyptian musician coming to perform in Israel - I am sure he will be received equally enthusiastically. Michael, Rehovot, Israel | |
| Music is a universal language; don't spoil it with politics. Mr Barenboim should continue with his efforts to bring Israeli & Arab musicians together but refrain from making it anything other than the coming together of great musical talent to be enjoyed by all.Maggie, New Jersey, USA | Music is a universal language; don't spoil it with politics. Mr Barenboim should continue with his efforts to bring Israeli & Arab musicians together but refrain from making it anything other than the coming together of great musical talent to be enjoyed by all.Maggie, New Jersey, USA |
| Birnbaum is hallucinating. He has no concept of geo-politics and the Israeli reality. Besides, this isn't the platform to rebuff his ridiculous comments. Let's just say that he should stick to music and it might even be a good idea for him to review some Jewish history during his free time.Don Isaac Abarbanel, Emek Hefer, Israel | Birnbaum is hallucinating. He has no concept of geo-politics and the Israeli reality. Besides, this isn't the platform to rebuff his ridiculous comments. Let's just say that he should stick to music and it might even be a good idea for him to review some Jewish history during his free time.Don Isaac Abarbanel, Emek Hefer, Israel |
| I didn't go to the concert. However, I respect anyone who has criticized the way Israel treats Palestinians. And it's a good thing what he does to bring both cultures' people together peacfully.Ramy Magdy, Alexandria , Egypt. | I didn't go to the concert. However, I respect anyone who has criticized the way Israel treats Palestinians. And it's a good thing what he does to bring both cultures' people together peacfully.Ramy Magdy, Alexandria , Egypt. |
| I recently saw Maestro Barenboim at an open rehearsal in the Scala in Milan. It was the most amazing performance I ever saw. His energy, his passion and his love for music made you feel like you were participating in the performance. Music lets bodies and minds connect like nothing else. That is exactly what is needed in the Middle East - no more harsh words and silly violence.Marco Faldetta, Palermo, Italy | I recently saw Maestro Barenboim at an open rehearsal in the Scala in Milan. It was the most amazing performance I ever saw. His energy, his passion and his love for music made you feel like you were participating in the performance. Music lets bodies and minds connect like nothing else. That is exactly what is needed in the Middle East - no more harsh words and silly violence.Marco Faldetta, Palermo, Italy |
| Fabulous concert. He brought the house down. Never seen the Opera so full and vibrant. His views of the Middle East "union" are so real, and as he said, people have to be recognised as people, not as borders.Mary Petersen, Cairo - Egypt | Fabulous concert. He brought the house down. Never seen the Opera so full and vibrant. His views of the Middle East "union" are so real, and as he said, people have to be recognised as people, not as borders.Mary Petersen, Cairo - Egypt |