Musical epic honors heroes both legendary and ordinary
Eight ordinary heroes are invited on stage to standing ovation at the end of the symphonic epic "Hero."
A symphonic epic celebrating ancient heroes concluded on Sunday night with a standing ovation for several of the city's contemporary heroes.
"Hero" is a grand piece created by Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. It premiered to critical acclaim last year thanks to its sweeping compositions and presentation, the scale of which is rare for orchestras of traditional Chinese instruments.
It was restaged on Sunday night as a gift for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, as well as a tribute to all heroes.
The epic piece is divided into six sections, each focused on an ancient mythic champion from Chinese legend and a traditional Chinese instrument. These pieces are accompanied by videos introducing the achievements of each legendary figure. This year, footage of contemporary legends was also added.
One movement is an ode to Hou Yi, an ancient hero who shot down nine out of 10 suns to save the Earth from overheating. It was paired with footage of 28-year-old de-mining hero Du Fuguo, who lost his eyesight and hands last year while trying to protect his fellow soldiers from a landmine.
Performed by a full Chinese orchestra of more than 100 musicians, the piece was written by Li Bochan, a composer in his 20s, who said it is not only a tribute to ancient legends, but "a tribute to all heroes, especially the contemporary ones around us, to evoke everyone's dream to become a hero."
The concluding movement took the audience from ancient legend to modern stories of ordinary courage. It focused on the deeds of eight Chinese, including a doctor who's spent years in Tibet to help patients, a professor who has been supporting poor students financially, and a retired man who volunteers at local hospitals. These figures took the stage at the end of the show for their own moment in the spotlight.
"Everyone of us can become a hero," said Luo Xiaoci, the orchestra's director. "As long as you are devoted to what you are doing, you are a hero contributing to our country and society. And for traditional Chinese musicians like us, our mission is to reinvent traditional Chinese music in this era. Good music is our gift to our nation."
"Hero" is played by a full Chinese orchestra of more than 100 musicians.
Each chapter is an ode to an ancient mythic hero and focuses on a traditional Chinese instrument.
