Chinese themes a highlight in Shanghai Opera House's new season
Shanghai Opera House's dancing troupe
Shanghai Opera House has announced that there will be two new Chinese operas and a performance presented in German in their new 2018 season.
Twenty-four performances, 11 of which will be related to art education, will be included. Five of the eight operas and musicals to be staged in the season are original productions, which have a heavy emphasis on Chinese themes.
“Chinese elements will be quite a major theme for the new season,” said Xu Zhong, president of the Shanghai Opera House.
Original Chinese operas “Tian Han” and “Li Dazhao,” featuring patriotic Chinese heroes, will be premiered in November and December respectively. As for the reproduction of classics, the Shanghai Opera House has selected two classic Western pieces with rich Chinese elements ─ Puccini’s “Turandot” and Franz Lehar’s “Land des Laechlens.”
“Land des Laechlens” tells the tale of an unexpected romance between the daughter of an Austrian duke, who follows a Chinese prince to his homeland. It is another coproduction between the Shanghai Opera House and Palace of Art Budapest after their successful collaboration on “Attila” four years ago.
European-based Chinese tenor Shi Yijie will play the lead role as the Chinese prince when the opera debuts at Shanghai Oriental Arts Center on November 28.
“It will be the first time performers from the Shanghai Opera House will have to challenge themselves in singing in German,” said Xu. “And that will just be the start of our efforts to expand the repertoires.”
“Turandot,” a coproduction between Shanghai Opera House and Shanghai Grand Theater, will be staged on January 24-26. It will be directed by Roberto Ando and joined by conductor Renato Palumbo.
Other highlights include Verdi’s “Nabucco,” Chinese opera “Sister Jiang” and the original musical “National Anthem.”
Apart from traditional lectures on how to appreciate performances, the Shanghai Opera House has also initiated education programs such as “Opera Cinema on the Lawn” and “Interaction with Music Themes.”
Two opera movies, “Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea” and “Gaetano Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor,” will be screened with instructions at the lawn of the Shanghai Opera House in April and October next year.
Visit www.shanghaiopera.com.cn for more information.
European-based Chinese tenor Shi Yijie
