Chinese spectacle for ‘Street’ in County Hall
EAST will meet West in spectacular fashion at the ‘Street’ in Wexford County Hall in Carricklawn which is due to host a colourful drumming, dance and acrobatic display by the costumed Shanghai Empireast Group from China on Saturday, September 22.
The one and a half hour performance is being supported by the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Ireland in association with the County Council and the Ireland China Culture and Arts Association and will be attended by the Chinese Ambassador His Excellency Dr. Yue Xiaoyong.
The special event follows on from a visit to Wexford by the Chinese Ambassador and a delegation from Hubei Province earlier this year with a view to the future twinning of Wexford and Hubei.
The Shanghai Group has previously visited Ireland but this is one of their first performances outside a city location.
The troupe which was set up in 2005 is committed to promoting Chinese culture abroad in the interest of forging links with other countries and has performed all over the world and appeared in many films.
The award-winning Shanghai Empireast Culture Group has performed at the Olympic Games, the World Expo, Disney’s opening ceremony, President Xi’s state banquet, Prince William’s visit to China and a banquet hosted by President Khalifa in Bahrain.
Classic military drumming and bold Chinese acrobatics are part of the show, along with demonstrations of juggling skills, plate-turning and performances on porcelain drums all presented against a backdrop of oriental legend. Chinese drum music has been around for 5,000 years and and has been used to chart the rise and fall of dynasties and to celebrate special events for millennia.
Sixteen members of the group (11 females and five males) will perform in Wexford, working within the confines of the space in the County Hall to present their show.
The Economic and Tourism Development section of the County Council is working with the National Opera House on the possibility of arranging further performances by the group in Wexford.
‘It’s part of our work to build relationships with China and to further a memorandum of understanding that Wexford County Council signed with Hubei province in the People’s Republic of China this year, said the Council’s Economic Development Officer Carolyne Godkin.
The forthcoming performance is for invited guests but the Council hopes to host other public displays by the group on their return trips to Ireland.
Anyone with a particular interest in attending the event from an arts or business perspective should email edwina. colfer@wexfordcoco.ie
Refreshments will be served at 6.30 p.m. and the show will start at 7p.m.