Pirastro exclusively supported the Capitol Symphonie Orchester Offenbach on its 2026 China Tour.

The Capitol Symphonie Orchester is based at the historic place of the Capitol Theater Offenbach. For its China tour, the orchestra was exclusively equipped with Pirastro strings. "Our company was founded in Offenbach in 1798 by the Italian string maker Giorgio Pirazzi and is now in its sixth generation of family ownership. Therefore, we at Pirastro are particularly pleased to be a partner in this project with the Capitol Symphonie Orchester Offenbach, as a company steeped in tradition from Offenbach. We are happy that our PIRASTRO strings accompanied the orchestra on the stages in China.” said Managing Director Annette Müller-Zierach.

While the music remained at the heart of the tour, the extraordinary architecture of China's modern concert halls became a focal point of the orchestra’s experience. The Capitol Symphonie Orchester, under the direction of Anna Skryleva, toured eight major Chinese cities, performing in spectacular concert halls such as the Hangzhou Linping Grand Theatre, which rises like a cliff, and the Cixi Grand Theater, designed to honor the city’s historic 'river spirit'. A particular highlight was the Changsha Concert Hall, whose walls tell a story: its facade features a pattern based on the famous song 'Water and Cloud in Xiaoxiang.' The audience enjoyed a diverse repertoire ranging from film music from 'Pirates of the Carribean' to classical works such as the 4th movement 'Scène' from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite. As an encore dedicated to the Chinese audience, the orchestra presented the traditional folk song 'Jasmine Flowers' in an arrangement for symphony orchestra, which regularly garnered standing ovations.

Solo cellist Anna-Lena Perenthaler shares her thoughts on the China Tour: “We’ve had incredibly touching, moving encounters with the people here—through music, and in this beautiful country. We are deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to perform in these fantastic concert halls, with their magnificent acoustics.”

Follow Pirastro on Instagram and facebook @pirastroofficial to learn more about this exciting collaboration and take a look at their travel diary.