Darkness at night
Last night, I watched a documentary about North Korea and its relationships with the US and other countries. North Korea is a country where one has to sing in praise of the ruler. Else, he or she is punished. One such musician was jailed for 3 years after which she migrated to Seoul, South Korea.
With such a strict rule, things had to be sorted out using a new approach. Music it was. One should read the article in Los Angeles Times here. Zarin Mehta (brother of Zubin Mehta), Director of New York Philharmonic Orchestra, along with 250-odd more performers was invited to perform to create a gesture of friendship. Seeing the magnanimity of the concert, critics from around the globe have lots of questions unanswered - 1) Was it a success? 2) Was it a gimmick by the North Korean Ruler, Kim Jong-il ?
The concert started off with the National Anthem of North Korea, followed by, the National Anthem of the United States of America. Performers also played a famous Korean folk song. 1500 in the audience must have been really spellbound by the performance.
Below is a satellite picture which shows North Korea and South Korea (courtesy internet). Clearly, South Korea stands out bright, while, the Northern neighbor, is dark at night. That bright spot is Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
With such a strict rule, things had to be sorted out using a new approach. Music it was. One should read the article in Los Angeles Times here. Zarin Mehta (brother of Zubin Mehta), Director of New York Philharmonic Orchestra, along with 250-odd more performers was invited to perform to create a gesture of friendship. Seeing the magnanimity of the concert, critics from around the globe have lots of questions unanswered - 1) Was it a success? 2) Was it a gimmick by the North Korean Ruler, Kim Jong-il ?
The concert started off with the National Anthem of North Korea, followed by, the National Anthem of the United States of America. Performers also played a famous Korean folk song. 1500 in the audience must have been really spellbound by the performance.
Below is a satellite picture which shows North Korea and South Korea (courtesy internet). Clearly, South Korea stands out bright, while, the Northern neighbor, is dark at night. That bright spot is Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
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