TIANJIN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Audience in north China's Tianjin Municipality enjoyed a concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Tianjin Grand Theater Wednesday.

The famed U.S. orchestra performed Richard Wagner's Lohengrin, Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 and Schubert's Symphony No.9. during the two-hour performance. Chinese pianist Zhang Haochen played the solo piano in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody.

Tianjin is the orchestra's second stop after Beijing on its 2019 Tour of China from May 16-28. The performance was arranged in celebration of the 39th anniversary of Tianjin forging friendly-city ties with Philadelphia of the U.S.

The orchestra has maintained close ties with China since its first visit in 1973, and symphonies especially classic music have become a part of the urban life of Chinese people, according to Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of Philadelphia Orchestra.

Founded in 1900, the Philadelphia Orchestra was the first U.S. orchestra to make a China tour since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Since then, it has traveled to China frequently, representing a bridge for cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges.

The orchestra for 2019 Tour of China is led by musical director Yannick Nezet-Seguin and aimed to mark the four-decades milestone in U.S.-China diplomatic relations. The tour will also take the orchestra to Hangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai.