The event was part ofthe “Vietnam Year in Italy ”, which aims to celebrate the 40 thanniversary of the Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties (1973-2013).
After playing the national anthems of the two countries, 33 Vietnamesesymphonists performed excerpts from works by Gioachino Rossini andBeethoven. The performance included a prominent violin solo by leadingVietnamese violinist Bui Cong Duy and a traditional Vietnamese folksong“Ly Hoai Nam ” composed by Ngo Hoang Quan.
Earlier, the orchestra’s two concerts in Venice and Florence were of great success.
Within the "Vietnam Year in Italy ", a total of nearly 100 political,diplomatic, economic, cultural, sports and tourism events are takingplace throughout 2013 to introduce Vietnam as a country of peace,dynamism, integration and development.
Before theconcert, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long met withItalian President Napolitano and Prime Minister Enrico Letta, to pass ona letter of thanks from President Truong Tan Sang to PresidentNapolitano for sponsoring the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestraconcerts.
Meanwhile, at a meeting with AmbassadorLong, Prime Minister Letta expressed his pleasure at the finedevelopment of relations between Vietnam and Italy in recentyears.
The Prime Minister said that Italy wants tofurther strengthen ties with Vietnam in all spheres, especiallyeconomics, after the two countries established their strategicpartnership during a visit to Italy by General Secretary Nguyen PhuTrong early this year.-VNA