International pianist Lang Lang opens Oceanogràfic shark tunnel: “They were a marvellous audience”
International pianist Lang Lang opens Oceanogràfic shark tunnel: “They were a marvellous audience”
WORLD-FAMOUS pianist Lang Lang officially 'opened' the new shark tunnel at Valencia's Oceanogràfic, Europe's largest aquarium, with an 'underwater' concert – and said the finned fish were the perfect audience.
The Chinese musical sensation said he was sure he saw the sharks smile as he played to them while they swam above his head.
“It was like a dream come true, playing for the fish and sharks – they were a marvellous audience,” Lang Lang announced after his grand opening ceremony.
He had played the night before at the neighbouring Palau de la Música concert hall – a show that was, as expected, a complete sell-out.
In it, he interpreted the Oscar-winning soundtrack by Ennio Morricone for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, then switched effortlessly to Franz Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 ('Dream of Love').
Lang Lang played the same concert for the sharks, with the latter being to 'show his love and respect' for the 'wonderful' marine fauna surrounding him.
The Oceanogràfic has recently reopened after undergoing a complete overhaul – butterflies, hammerhead sharks, crocodiles, and a new bird area are among the wildlife that can be admired by visitors.
Lighting, flooring inside and out, and direction signs have been fully upgraded, says the City of Arts and Sciences' management company, which runs the complex where the Oceanogràfic sits.
Photograph from the City of Arts and Sciences' Twitter site, @CAC
