International stage production celebrates cross-cultural exchange and cooperation
Tete Martínez, Lorena Martínez and Aurora Sevilla rehearse for the play.
"Silence in Bloody Wedding" is a collaborative effort of Chinese, Spanish and Japanese theater artists that celebrates the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Spain.
The production, which is the highlight of the ongoing 2023 Great Theater of China Theater Festival, will be performed from December 14 to 16. It is based on a play by Federico Lorca, a Spanish poet and playwright hailed as the "Shakespeare of Spain." Lorca is well-known for his distinct artistic flair and profound understanding of human nature.
The 90-minute-long tragic love story centers around a man who cannot forget his former lover. On her wedding day, the lover goes to the bride's residence and elopes with her, with the groom's family giving them a chase.
Japanese director Hiroshi Koike (right) at the rehearsal.
The story, based on a play by Spanish poet and playwright Federico Lorca explores the complexity of humanity.
Manuel De Leon will perform on guitar
The play is a synthesis of several artistic disciplines, such as live guitar performance, flamenco, theater and singing, and transcends language barriers.
Shanghai-based Vertebra Theater, which was established by performance artist Li Qianpeng, is collaborating internationally for the 10th time. It is also the first contemporary theatrical production produced through cooperation between China and Spain.
The drama explores human complexity, and Hiroshi Koike, the Japanese director, feels the performance will address issues of humanity.
An eight-day workshop in 2022 tested the play's potential for cross-cultural expressiveness. Koike also blended improvised dances and songs, saying that the process of creating the production was similar to cooking with various ingredients.
Tete Martínez (right) and Aurora Sevilla.
Spanish actress and singer Sofía Monreal.
Li, the play's art director, remarked that the intricacy and struggle of each character will most likely move fans.
"Everyone can watch the show if he or she has loved someone," Li said. "The characters in the show make numerous daring decisions that most of us cannot do in real life. That is the allure of theater."
Every year, Vertebra Theater welcomes famous teachers of performing arts, theater directors, and artists from around the world to China to give lectures, attend seminars, and conduct training courses.
Following the performances in China, "Silence in Bloody Wedding" will be staged in Madrid's Teatro Espaol in the New Year.
Event info:
Date: December 14-16, 7:30pm, December 16, 2:30pm
Venue: Great Theater of China
Address: 704 Niuzhuang Rd
牛庄路704号
A poster for the show.
QR code for people to buy tickets of the show.
