KOCM

186-190

Chapter 186

On the warm spring night, a breeze swept through Vienna. The guests' skirts swirled in the wind, adding a hint of softness to the evening's romance.

As Austria's most important, national-treasure level orchestra, the final stop of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's every tour was always in the Golden Hall of Vienna's Friends of Music Association building.

This large symphony hall, which stood tall in Austria for hundreds of years, had witnessed the rise and fall of countless orchestras as well as hundreds of geniuses throughout the history of classical music. It passed the vicissitudes of life but never aged.

One by one, the ladies and gentlemen walked along the red carpet of this ancient building in their most beautiful attire. Tonight was one of Wei Ai's grandest performances of the year, and the word "solemnity" could no longer encompass the emotions swirling within the fans.

In the middle of the last century, the world's major opera houses and concert halls had a rule: "The audience must wear formal attire to attend." This seemingly unreasonable rule could be seen even in comedic movies. But, even now, most fans adhered to this long abolished rule.

Both symphony and opera were elegant works of art. The audience had to listen and appreciate with the most pious attitude. Only in this way... could everyone contribute to the efforts of the composers, conductors, and orchestra members!

Perhaps it was due to the warmer weather, but an especially large number of fans gathered at the Golden Hall that night. Even Tuckerman, Wei Ai's agent, said in a bout of emotion, "All the tickets were sold out last week! God, who said the past twenty years have been the trough of classical music? Our fans are still enthusiastic!!!"

If Tuckerman was allowed to sit with the audience and listen for a while, he would understand why this year's concert caused such a terrible stir.

What's the most irresistible marketing in the world?

Word of mouth.

When someone says something is good, another may doubt and wonder "But is it?" However, when two people say something is good, those with ordinary willpower will begin to be swayed. What then if it were three, four, five... No, hundreds of people?!

Then it must truly be something extraordinary!

When the numerous media praised Wei Ai's tour to the sky this year, even those that weren't fans couldn't help but rush out of their own countries to listen and find out just how wonderful this orchestra was.

Qi Mu sat on a stool backstage and was carefully wiping his rosin when Tuckerman entered the throngs of orchestra members and proclaimed, "Oh friends! Do you know who's here in person today?!"

"I just saw Wei Jiao's chief conductor, Mr. Evra!"

"Hey! I also saw Mr. Evra. And that black guy, Jacques, is here too!"

"And I saw Mr. Richard, the cellist, in the second row!"

"And Master Lance! Master Lance is here too! Oh yes, I remember. He seems to know Little Seven. Did he come for Little Seven?"

Qi Mu reluctantly set down the rosin in his hand and nodded. "Yesterday, I went to Master Lance's and sent him an invitation. He said he's been quite leisurely recently and wanted to come listen."

"Oh, Little Seven! You're so lucky to be able to enter my idol's house!"

"Hey, Chuck, don't you admire Mr. Bertram the most? Why've you become Master Lance's fan all of a sudden?"

"Ellie, you don't understand! One is a life idol, the other is a male god. They are on different planes of existence!"

"I think you're worse than my daughter..."