CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Monday, February 8, 2021 | 17 LIFE
What’s on A festive feel takes center stage Mountain magic The Forbidden City Concert Hall will host a series of performances to celebrate Spring Festival, Chen Nan reports.
Liu Haisu, one of 20thcentury Chi na’s greatest artists, produced a stunning body of work depicting various landscapes of Huangshan Mountain in East China’s Anhui province. Between 1918 and 1988, Liu paid 10 visits to Huangshan, one of the country’s “five famous moun tains”. He fell deeply in love with the mountain, and some of his paintings of its breathtaking scenery have become monumental works in Chi nese art history. Clouds Under Brushes, an exhibition running at the Liu Haisu Art Museum in Shanghai until Feb 28, pays homage to Liu’s deep emotional attachment to Huangshan. On show are sketch es and paintings of the mountain from the museum’s collection. It’s a celebration of the 125th anniversary of Liu’s birth. Also on display are photos, videos and articles reflecting Liu’s take on art, life and the world that convey his perspectives of Huangshan’s changing scenery. he Lunar New Year cele player Wu Yuxia, will perform with 9 am5 pm, TuesdaySunday. 1609 bration, marking the pianists. Yan’an Xi Lu, Changning district, beginning of the Year of “Many of the pieces we’ll perform Shanghai. 02162701018. the Ox, begins on Feb 12. are newly arranged for the festival,” TThis year, people have been encour Song says. Staging a celebration aged to stay put for the Spring Festi “Audiences will enjoy a fresh val holiday to control the spread of experience of these two ancient COVID19, and many people will The pandemic musical instruments, the erhu and spend the holiday in Beijing. pipa.” Five performances, covering a has made Song adds that folkmusic ele diversity of art forms, such as Peking people feel ments from different parts of China, Opera, vocal performances and tra such as Pingtan (storytelling and ditional Chinese music, will be stressed and singing in the Suzhou dialect to staged at the Forbidden City Concert anxious for a music) and ethnic Mongolian music, Hall in the capital from Feb 12 to 26. whole year.” will be integrated into the pieces. Star performers from the Jingju “The pandemic has made people Jingju Theater Company of Beijing will Theater Company of Beijing, Hu Biao, conductor feel stressed and anxious for a stage four classic Peking Opera pieces including Chi Xiaoqiu, Du Zhenjie, of the Poly Tiange whole year,” says conductor Hu — The Lucky Purse, Yang Silang Vis Zhang Huifang and Hu Wenge, will Traditional Chinese Biao, who’ll lead the Poly Tiange its His Mother, The Matchmaker and Orchestra present a show, featuring classic Traditional Chinese Orchestra to Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix — Peking Opera pieces. perform at the Forbidden City Con to celebrate Spring Festival. Star per Jingju, or Peking Opera, was cert Hall on Feb 26, which is the formers of the company, including Ma inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible date for Lantern Festival this year. Botong, Wang Xueqing and Zhu cultural heritage list in 2010. “We need a moment to relax dur Qiang, will perform leading roles. The leading artists emulate the ing the festival.” Founded in 1979, the company, for performance styles of different Tianjin Song and Dance Theater merly known as Beijing Peking Peking Opera masters, such as Mei president Lu Sheng, who heads the Opera Theater, has a long tradition Lanfang (18941961), Cheng Yanqiu traditional Chinese operas, such as rong, who performs with the Jingju newly founded Poly Tiange Tradi of keeping the 200yearold genre (190458) and Yang Baosen (1909 Pingju Opera and Hebei Bangzi Theater Company of Beijing and is tional Chinese Orchestra, says rep alive and training younger genera 58). They’ll present such programs Opera, will stage a show to show also a winner of the Plum Perform ertoires will include classic Chinese tions of performers. as Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix case these ancient art forms’ beau ance Award. “The pandemic made works, such as The Spring Festival 7:30 pm, Feb 1317. National Center and The Drunken Concubine. ty. the Spring Festival special since Overture composed by Li Huanzhi for the Performing Arts. No 2 West “It’s a longstanding tradition for “There are over 270 kinds of Chi many people can’t go back to their in 1949, Dance of the Yao People by Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng district, the Forbidden City Concert Hall to nese opera. The three major types hometowns. We hope our shows Peng Xiuwen and suona (double Beijing. 01066550000. bring performances to audiences are Peking, Pingju and Hebei Bang could help them feel relaxed and reeded horn) solo piece Family Por during Spring Festival. The pro zi, which are popular among audi entertained.” Top: The Poly Tiange Tradi trait performed by Zhao Cuncai. A rich history grams appeal to families,” says For ences in places like Beijing, Tianjin Romantic songs will be per tional Chinese Orchestra will “It’ll be the first time for the bidden City Concert Hall general and cities in Hebei province,” says formed by such musicians as pian perform classic Chinese works orchestra to perform in the capital manager Xu Jian. The venue is veteran Pingju Opera performer ist Zhang Jialin, soprano Gan Lulu at the Forbidden City Concert during Spring Festival, and all the located inside Zhongshan Park, Zeng Shaojuan, who’ll give a per and harpist Sun Shimeng during a Hall on Feb 26. music pieces fit the festive atmos near Tian’anmen Square. formance on Feb 13. concert on Feb 14, to celebrate Val Middle and above: Erhu player phere,” Lu says. “It has been 12 years for artists The 55yearold started to per entine’s Day. Actor Shi Yueling will Song Fei and pipa player Wu Poly Tiange Traditional Chinese from the Jingju Theater Company form Pingju Opera at age 15 and is a read romantic poems by the likes of Yuxia will team up to bring a Orchestra just gave a series of New of Beijing to perform on the first day winner of the Plum Performance William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde show featuring new arrange Year concerts in Tianjin and plans of the Lunar New Year,” she says. Award, China’s top prize for theater and Nie Luda. ments of traditional Chinese to tour cities in Hebei province after Audience members must wear and opera performances. Traditional Chineseinstrument music pieces at the Forbid the Spring Festival holiday. facemasks and book tickets online “We will perform classic pieces musicians, including erhu (two den City Concert Hall during because of the COVID19 pandemic. and contemporary works,” says stringed fiddle) player Song Fei and the Spring Festival holiday. Contact the writer at The Ming (13681644) and Qing On Feb 13, more performers of Peking Opera artist Wang Rong pipa (fourstringed Chinese lute) PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY [email protected] (16441911) dynasties saw the rise of merchants from Shanxi province. This influential group, often referred to as jin shang (Shanxi mer Orchestrating a happy Lunar New Year chants), enjoyed a monopoly over the salt industry and banking at the time. An accumulation of wealth By CHEN NAN west China’s Yunnan province, also “We want to send festive greet over several generations also result participated. ings and best wishes to overseas ed in the popularity of wearing sil The China National Traditional The annual “Happy Chinese New Chinese and to people worldwide ver accessories among people in Orchestra and musicians from the Year” event initiated by the Ministry with these performances that not Shanxi throughout the first half of Chicago Symphony Orchestra per of Culture and Tourism in 2010 only offer a window to showcase the 20th century. An ongoing exhibi formed a livestreamed virtual con brings a series of live performances traditional Chinese culture but also tion at Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan cert under the baton of conductor to audiences around the world to invite people all over the world to through April 20 traces the history Liu Fengde on Feb 4 to mark the celebrate Lunar New Year with a join Lunar New Year celebrations,” of this unique fashion trend. On approach of the Year of the Ox, diversity of art forms, including Shen said during the opening cere show are a variety of vintage silver which begins on Feb 12. music, dance and acrobatics, as well mony on Feb 4 at Beijing’s Tianqiao accessories from several museums The concert, organized by China as Chinese food and folk culture. Performing Arts Center. in Shanxi and private collections. A Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd, Due to the COVID19 pandemic, Long Yun Kungfu Troupe, a tour display of intricate ornamental featured four parts based on the sea this year’s “Happy Chinese New Year” ing ensemble of talented Chinese accessories to adorn people’s hair, sons and presented such programs will feature online programs to enable martial artists founded by Jackie hands, arms, necks and clothes as Lantern FestivalViewing Lan global audiences to experience Spring Chan, gave a live performance with shows technical refinement and dis terns by Ma Jiuyue; The Sky Is High Festival culture in their homes. percussionist Wang Jianan during tinctive taste, as well as people’s and the Clouds Are Pale by Feng Shen Haixiong, director of China the opening ceremony. aspirations for prosperity, health Mantian; and Winter SolsticeLucki Media Group, the coorganizer of “The COVID19 pandemic hit in and longevity. It also offers perspec ness and Eternity by Zhao Cong. the “Happy Chinese New Year” the past year,” Chinese Culture and tives of the social lives and econo Chinese musicians, such as bam event, says 11 programs will be lives Tourism Minister Hu Heping says. mies of the past. booflute soloist Zheng Di and guqin treamed from Feb 16 to 26, and the “People from around the world 9 am5 pm, TuesdaySunday. 13 Binhe (Chinese zither) player Zhao Xiaox closing program will feature singers have fought shoulder to shoulder Martial artists from Long Yun Kungfu Troupe give a live performance Xi Lu, Taiyuan, Shanxi province. ia, dancers from the Ballet Theater from seven countries performing against the pandemic. We want to with percussionist Wang Jianan at the opening ceremony of the 03518789188. of Ukraine and the Poya Songbook Chinese songs adapted from Tang find alternative ways to keep the tra annual “Happy Chinese New Year” event at Beijing’s Tianqiao Chorus from Poya village in South Dynasty (618907) poems. dition of cultural exchange ongoing.” Performing Arts Center on Thursday. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY CHINA DAILY