Original Chinese opera on erhu By Chen Nan (China Daily)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-06/24/content_12764806.htm
The Performing Arts Company of China's Air Force, best known for its 1964 production of Jiang Jie, one of the nation's most popular operas, will stage Er Quan Yin, an original Western-style Chinese opera, in the capital.
Based on the story of legendary Chinese erhu performer, Hua Yanjun, or Blind Ah Bing, the opera tells the story of an erhu performer, Ah Quan and his adopted daughter Ah Li, who struggle to make a living in the 1950s.
Renowned erhu pieces of the blind street musician Hua, such as Er Quan Ying Yue, or Moon Reflects over the Second Spring, made in 1950, will be played as the story unfolds.
Director Wang Yansong, whose 1984 production Da Cuo Che, or Taking the Wrong Bus, is considered the first modern musical in China, points out that the story of Ah Bing is well-known in China, with "even students exposed to his masterpieces in their music classes", he says. "It's a natural choice for an opera that can be understood and enjoyed."
Composer Meng Qingyun, who has written all the songs for Er Quan Yin, says: "The most difficult part of creating music for an opera is connecting the roles to the musical pieces.
"The singing should reflect the characters' inner worlds."
Original Chinese opera on erhu
Although this is the first time Meng has written music for an opera, he is confident about audience feedback.
Thirty-year-old soprano Wang Li will sing the main role, Ah Li, a sentimental and virtuous girl from south China. She also played the title role in Jiang Jie, the Communist heroine of China's civil war before 1949.
Yang Yuelin, director of the Performing Arts Company of China's Air Force, says the opera has successfully toured around the country this past year. "The feedback from audiences proves an original Chinese opera is as charming as any Western one," he says.
China Daily
Chinese opera, Er Quan
https://www.google.com/search?hs=07f&q=Chinese+opera,+Er+Quan&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=opera&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq65Xbkc3hAhVmlYsKHXNcAF4QsAR6BAgIEAE&biw=1880&bih=939
Opera on "The Long March" to be restaged at China's prime theater for Army Day
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2019-04/07/content_9469949.htm
BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- An opera dedicated to the epic Long March led by the Communist Party of China will return to the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing for this year's Army Day, which falls on Aug. 1.
"The Long March" will be performed in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, in south China, at the end of May.
The six-act opera is an original NCPA production that debuted in 2016 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March.
The Long March was a military maneuver carried out by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army from 1934 to 1936. During this period, they left their bases and marched through rivers, mountains and arid grassland to break the siege of Kuomintang forces and continue to fight Japanese aggressors. Many marched as far as 12,500 kilometers.
The Long March
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyhD0juyCrY
Long March Song Cycle 1976--Victory Celebration (长征组歌(选段) --祝捷,1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ9ZyGMfCv8
NCPA Commission&Chinese Epic Opera The Long March
http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201809/t20180921_191148.shtml
About
The Long March, which premiered on July 1st, 2016, is an opera commission commissioned by the NCPA in memory of the 80th anniversary of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army’s victory in the Long March, the 50th opera produced by the NCPA, and the 11th Chinese opera commission of national classic subject matter after Xishi, The Chinese Orphan, Visitors on the Snow Mountain, and FANG Zhimin.
The opera, adapted from the true history of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army’s Long March, faithfully recreates the hardships that were suffered by the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army on the Long March by realism. The events on important nodes of the Long March are held together based on the perspectives and experiences of common Red Army soldiers and people, evoking the “miserable glory,” eulogizing the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army’s lofty ideals to fight and sacrifice for their faith, in honour of the Long March, a great wonder in human history. Until now, various Long March-based literary and artistic works have been produced, of which films and TV dramas and stage plays alone are more than one hundred in number. The Red Army’s Long March, which is one of the greatest events of the last century, is a magnificent feat that has changed history. The NCPA opera The Long March is acted out this great event, which influenced the process of Chinese revolution, in the form of an opera.
The whole opera has six acts of nine scenes in total, with over 30 dramatic personages and the chorus of hundreds of people. The great history of Long March ensures our today’s peaceful life, and each note of the spirit of the Long March contains the era factor and has the inspiring and shocking spiritual strength. Let’s walk into NCPA and review this period of sufferings and glory through the artistic charm of the opera.
Synopsis
After the failure of the 5th counter-campaign against encirclement and suppression in October 1934, the Red Army is about to depart from Ruijin. After receiving the transfer order, Commander ZENG and Commissar PENG from a regiment of the Central Red Army cannot bear to abandon the sick and wounded to the enemy. Doctor HONG, Commissar PENG's wife, also stays to look after them. After the Xiangjiang River Campaign, the Red Army enters Zunyi and gets a chance to consolidate. The Zunyi Meeting Announcement is proclaimed late that night, which marks a historic turning point in the Chinese revolution. Chased by the enemy, the soldiers start a raid of 120 km over the course of an entire day. They seize Luding Bridge marking the successful breakout. Ping Yazi, a young soldier, bravely tastes the wild plants but is poisoned and dies a heroic death. When the Red Army joined forces in Huining, Commissar PENG receives the last letter from Doctor HONG. This letter motivates the soldiers. The opera ends with the chorus Long live the Long March.
Creative
Opera Un Ballo in Maschera
http://en.chncpa.org/whatson/zdyc/201902/t20190201_197343.shtml
About
The Un Ballo in Maschera is adapted based on the story of assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden in the 18th century. Through fictional odd story, the opera reveals Amelia's ambivalence when pursuing extramarital romantic love and safeguarding her husband's dignity, and rolls out the real high life of Italy in the 18th century. Un Ballo in Maschera, La forza del destino and Don Carlo are crowned as the three major masterpieces created by Verdi in his mid-life. Un Ballo in Maschera can be described as one of Verdi's most talented works in terms of music, which not only consists of many classical arias, but also achieves the culmination of the Romantic opera from the perspective of art. This work truly achieves grand and magnificent realm in view of drama contents and musical charm.
Synopsis
Ricardo is preparing for a dancing party. He invites his good friend Renato's wife Amelia because he loves her. His servant Oscar warns Ricardo that someone will plot to murder him. But Ricardo doesn't mind and he even laughs at the prophecy of witch Ulrika.
At first, Ulrika secretly meets Amelia in her hut. Amelia needs a secret recipe to be able to forget Ricardo. Then, Ulrika tells Ricardo (who is disguised to request for fortune-telling) that he would die at the hands of a friend.
Amelia comes alone to the guillotine to search for forgetting grass at midnight and Ricardo follows her. Both express their love each other. At this point, Renato rushes to notify Ricardo to beware of the assassin. Renato also promises to lead masked Amelia to a safe place. However, the assassin forces Amelia to reveal her identity. Ashamed and angry Renato makes decision to jointly revenge with the assassin. In the Governor's dancing party, Renato assassinates Ricardo, but Ricardo feel remorseful for a long time, and gets ready to help Renato and Amelia jointly return to the United Kingdom. But the big mistake is still made. Before death, Renato proves that Amelia is innocent and forgives all people concerned.
Artist
Triumphal March from Aida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3w4I-KElxQ