China Daily Global Edition (USA)
CHORUS RISES FOR RUSSIA
The Dawns Here Are Quiet, an original opera production by the National Center for the Performing Arts, will make its debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, one of Russia’s premier venues for performing arts, over Sept 11-12.
The production will also see artists from the Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra and the Western Military District Ensemble perform together with Chinese singers of the NCPA for the first time.
The opera, composed by Tang Jianping with libretto by Wan Fang, is inspired by Russian writer Boris Vasilyev’s novel of the same title. It tells the story of a senior sergeant in the Soviet Red Army and five female anti-aircraft gunners, who courageously fight off invading German troops in 1942.
The opera was first staged at the NCPA in November 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. That show saw the NCPA Symphony Orchestra and Chorus perform under the baton of conductor Lyu Jia. So far, the opera production has been staged at the NCPA for four rounds.
“When I composed the opera, I wished that a Russian audience could watch it one day, since it’s about Russia. Now, the upcoming tour will fulfill my dream,” says Tang.
Tang spent nearly a year composing the opera, in which he used the traditional Russian musical instrument, bayan, an accordion, as well as melodies from Russian folk music.
As the director of the composition department at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, Tang, 63, says that he was influenced by Russian culture, including literature, music and drama, while growing up.
“It’s my first composition with a Russian theme and I have used all of my knowledge of Russia to finish it, which is nostalgic and meaningful to me,” Tang adds.
“The story of The Dawns Here Are Quiet has influenced generations of Chinese. Russians might not know how popular the story is in China, especially the movie and the music featured in it,” he says, Tang Jianping, composer of the adding, the classic Russian story is told by Chinese artists in this opera.
“We share the same emotion about war, which is cruel, and we long for peace,” says Wang Xiaoying, director of the opera, noting that in this new version, ballet dancers from the Mariinsky ballet will play soldiers, and singers of the Western Military District Ensemble will share the stage with Chinese singers, such as Zhang Yang and Xu Xiaoying.
According to Zhao Jiachen, vice-president of the NCPA, as well as the opera, the institution will present two concerts of classical opera arias jointly performed by Chinese and Russian artists, celebrating the long-lasting friendship between the two nations. Entitled Hello, Russia!, the concerts will be held at the Central Academic Theatre of the Russian Army on Sept 14 and 15.
In addition to the performances of one opera and two concerts, the NCPA will hold a variety of art exchange activities. Leading singers from The Dawns Here Are Quiet will visit the Confucius Institute of St. Petersburg University and the Chinese Cultural Centre in Moscow, to hold artistic dialogues and exchanges with the Russian artists, university students and art lovers.
“It will be the biggest cultural exchange program between the NCPA and the Mariinsky Theatre yet,” says Zhao, adding that the tour was invited to St. Petersburg by the Mariinsky Theatre and the Alexandrov Ensemble of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Zhao says since the opening of the NCPA in 2007, it has staged performances by more than 20 art troupes from Russia, including performances by both the Mariinsky Theatre and the Alexandrov Ensemble.
“President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, strengthening the partnership between China and Russia,” says Kalinyuk Alexander, press officer of the Russian embassy in Beijing. “The upcoming tour of the NCPA to Russia will further deepen the friendship between our two peoples.”
NCPA opera production, artist Zhang Yang performs in the opera. will tour Russia from Sept 11 to 15. The story of
has influenced generations of Chinese people.” opera