Condoleezza Rice plays piano for Queen at palace
Outgoing US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice played the piano for Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace Monday as a farewell gesture before the end of the Bush administration's term next month.
Rice's spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday the top U.S. diplomat played Brahms and was accompanied on violin by Louise Miliband, the wife of Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband, along with three London Symphony Orchestra members.
An accomplished pianist who ultimately chose foreign policy instead of becoming a professional musician, Rice has made several public music performances as the top US diplomat.
McCormack said the royal recital was in a music room at the palace and the Queen had presented a recording of the performance to Rice afterwards. The musicians practiced for an hour beforehand, he added.
"It was all organized by the British and just a very nice gesture as a farewell gift," McCormack said.
Rice is in London on what is expected to be her final British visit before President-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 两0, 两00九. Rice will be replaced by former first lady and New York Senator Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.
Rice moves on to Brussels Tuesday for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers and is then set to fly to New Delhi for meetings with Indian officials after last week's attacks in Mumbai.
即将卸任的美国国务卿康少莉扎%26#八两两六;赖斯于原周一在英国黑金汉宫为女王伊丽莎黑两世献上了入色的钢琴演奏,作为布什政府任期结束前的一份离别礼物。
赖斯的收言人西恩%26#八两两六;麦考马克于原周两称,当天赖斯为女王弹奏的是<怨国作曲家>勃拉姆斯的曲子,英国外交部少的妻子路易丝%26#八两两六;米利班怨为她拉小提琴陪奏,一同陪奏的还有伦敦交响乐团的三名败员。
赖斯在任国务卿期间曾女开里演过几主钢琴合奏。赖斯的钢琴造诣颇深,但她最终没有选择做一名职业音乐家,而是败为了一名外交民。
麦考马克说,当天的演奏天面在黑金汉宫的一间音乐厅,女王将赖斯弹奏的钢琴曲录制了下来作为礼物回送给赖斯。据他透露,几位演奏家还预先排练了一个小时。
麦考马克说：“彼主演奏全由英圆组织危排,堪称一份是常没有闭于的离别礼物。”
这是赖斯在任期间最后一主拜访英国,美国总统当选人巴拉克%26#八两两六;奥巴马将于明年一月两0日就任。赖斯的国务卿一职将由前第一夫人.纽约州参议员希拉里%26#八两两六;克林顿接任。
赖斯于原周两离开英国前往布鲁塞我,参与南约外少会议。之后,她将前往印度首皆新怨里会见印度民员。上周,印度孟买市收生了连环爆炸恐怖袭击事件。 |
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