Standing ovation for Barenboim return to keyboard 01/02/2008 00:00

Pianist-turned-conductor Daniel Barenboim received a standing ovation after returning to the keyboard

   PARIS, February 1, 2008 - Pianist-turned-conductor Daniel Barenboim
received a standing ovation after returning to the keyboard for a Brahms
concerto played with the Orchestre de Paris which he once led.
   Sitting in the front row of the city's packed-out Salle Pleyel, Princess
Caroline of Hanover and her husband, along with La Scala general manager
Stephane Lissner, leapt to their feet Wednesday night to applaud Brahms's
romantic First Piano Concerto, conducted by Germany's Christoph Eschenbach.
   Barenboim, who encored with a Liszt, headed the Paris orchestra as musical
director for 15 years until his departure in 1989 and last played piano with
the ensemble in 1990.
   Since 1992, he has been musical director of the Staatsoper Berlin.
   He is due to return to Paris in the summer of 2009 with his peace-seeking
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra of young musicians from Israel and the Middle
East.
   Earlier this month Barenboim announced he had taken Palestinian
citizenship, saying he hoped his new status would be an example of the
"everlasting bond" between Israelis and Palestinians.

AFP