For the first time in its 90-year history, the world-renowned Salzburg Festival saw the performance of a Chinese philharmonic orchestra on Tuesday evening.

The China Youth Philharmonic Orchestra played Chinese traditional music and a modern symphony.

Their performance of Chinese traditional works, such as Butterfly Lovers, The Moon Reflected in Er-quan Spring and Festive Overture, was warmly received in this music heartland.

"We had never heard a symphony by a Chinese orchestra. We came from a town more than 10 kilometers away especially for it. Their performance is marvelous, great," said a young Austrian couple excitedly.

The band leader and director of the orchestra, Hou Junxia, said Salzburg was the birthplace of Mozart and that the Salzburg Festival was one of the most prestigious music festivals in the world, which was recognized as "the music Olympics."

On Sunday, the Salzburg Festival kicked off a month of operas, concerts and plays.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who is on a working visit to Austria, talked with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann on Monday about the cultural exchange between China and Austria.

Faymann said Austria attached importance to strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries, extending a welcome to Chinese orchestras to attend the Salzburg Festival.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2010)