- Title: CHINA: BEIJING STAGES WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCTION OF VERDI'S POPULAR OPERA AIDA
- Date: 6th October 2003
- Summary: CROATIAN DIRECTOR KRESIMIR DOLENCIC TALKING TO STAFF ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CROATIAN DIRECTOR KRESIMIR DOLE NCIC SAYING "Well, Aida is one of the, I don't know, five, six, seven most popular operas of all time. So, since we had a great success in Shanghai there were like forty five thousand people in each performance, and they were very happy, it seemed that it wo
- Embargoed: 21st October 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Arts,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA8WJ4O61WJXYO8ZSJBB4AEBH7T
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- Story Text: Beijing has staged the world's largest production of Verdi's popular opera Aida.
Against the spectacular backdrop of a giant pyramid and a row of sphinxes, the tragic love story "Aida"
unfolded at Thursday's (September 25) dress rehearsal for the world's largest production of Verdi's popular opera.
No, this is not Egypt it's China, where celebrated Croatian director Kresimir Dolencic has taken on the challenge to bring opera to a public barely acquainted with the classical European art. To Chinese ears, it may all sound very alien.
Overcoming the cultural divide has been the toughest task for the production crew, resulting in a lavish use of high-tech visual and audio effects to lure the Beijing audience into the story.
Aida is the tale of an Ethiopian slave girl and an Egyptian warrior who are torn between their love for each other and their loyalties for their countries. The drama of passion, war and betrayal made its triumphal debut in China three years ago, when Dolencic staged it in the city of Shanghai.
"Well, Aida is one of the, I don't know, five, six, seven most popular operas of all time. So, since we had a great success in Shanghai -- there were like 45,000 people in each performance, and they were very happy --, it seemed that it works. It works," Dolencic said.
In an unprecedented fusion of Western and Chinese art forms, the director introduced Peking Opera and martial arts elements into the production.
"Aida is not, you know, something that you might call an Egyptian story, it's not an archaeological piece, so it's not something that... Neither Verdi nor Boito, they didn't really know much about Egypt. So we are trying to produce a little bit more modern, add some Chinese things, some Chinese fashion, Chinese Kung Fu guys, acrobats and that in the triumph scene. Everything else is just as we'll do the normal opera in a normal theatre everywhere else in the world," Dolencic said.
Georgina von Benza plays Aida, while Zlatomira Nilolova acts as Amneris and Kristjan Johannsson as Radames.
As the actors proceed to the triumph scene, 1,400 soldiers from China's People's Liberation Army march onto the stage and around the huge Workers' Stadium.
Elephants, tigers, lions, panthers and snakes are highlights of the parade.
The singing and the narrative may be inaccessible for Chinese people, but in the end it's all about being part of one big party.
"Actually, I have to admit that I don't really understand much of the content, but I think it is all quite impressive, it has a great feeling to it. So even if I don't understand what's going on, I think it's great," said 17-year-old student Li Xin (pron: lee hseen), who plays a part in the crowd scene.
Another extra said he was proud to be part of the exotic spectacle that involves more than 4,000 performers.
"For me, taking part in this event is an opportunity to learn, to personally learn from the actual experience what it feels like to be an actor. And even though we are just ensemble players, we are nevertheless very dedicated."
The performance was staged on Saturday (September 27). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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