Tehran Symphony Orchestra is officially shaken out of a long hiatus under the management of Iranian maestro Ali Rahbari.
The orchestra returned to life after a 25-month break on Monday night with live performances conducted by Rahbari in the presence of various political figures and prominent artists in Tehrans Vahdat Hall.
In a demonstration of his dexterous capabilities, Rahbari conducted Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. 9, a seminal piece in D minor, also known as "the Choral."
Following the performance, Rahbari said, Tonight is one of the best nights of my life, because I saw the Tehran Symphony Orchestra back on stage.
He added, This orchestras members are the countrys cultural and artistic assets, and thanked all those who helped restore the ensemble.
Tehran Symphonic Orchestra has nothing less than the worlds famous orchestras and with constant practice can reach international standards, he said.
The orchestra also preformed Irans national anthem during the ceremony.
Senior officials, including Culture Minister Ali Jannati, First Vice PresidentEshaq Jahangiri, and Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic AffairsAli Moradkhani, were present among the audience
Rahbari was invited from Austria to restructure the orchestra in 2004, but he quit the job in the following year due to a number of problems, including low salaries paid to the orchestras musicians.