The new Chinese opera A Dream of Splendor, created jointly by the Shanghai Opera House and Tencent Video, will have its global premiere at the Shanghai Grand Theatre from March 28 to 30.
Inspired by the popular eponymous TV series, this production offers an innovative interpretation of the story in opera format infused with classical Chinese music.
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"The adaptation and creation of our new classical Chinese-style opera is a bold, fresh attempt to establish a foundation rooted in Song Dynasty (960-1279) culture and aesthetics," says Zhao Lei, Party secretary of the Shanghai Opera House.
"We aim to break through the boundaries of traditional Chinese opera to step beyond our preconceived notions of what opera should be," Zhao adds.
Jiang Weiguo, a director with a diverse portfolio encompassing various cultures and art forms, spearheads this production to highlight the bravery and resilience of ancient Chinese women as they defy their destinies through the integration of rich music and theatrical techniques.
Jiang elaborates that the narrative's most compelling aspect revolves around three ancient women who, through individual strength and courage, forge paths to independence and recognition.
"We want to immerse the audience in the world depicted in A Dream of Splendor through music, song and dance," he says.
Jiang emphasizes that the play's themes are given comprehensive visual representation on stage, including spatial design, lighting techniques, costumes and styling, to fully showcase the beauty of ancient Chinese culture.
"Ancient themes are presented to modern audiences, which requires a modern touch to the performance, music and visual art. This fusion is both challenging and essential," Jiang says.
The challenges and breakthroughs required are multifaceted.
As screenwriter Cao Lusheng puts it, transforming a 40-episode TV series into a two-hour stage performance is a monumental challenge. Whether it is composition, stage design or other aspects, various topics need to be addressed.
Stage designer Ding Ding mentions that there is a significant difference between television and stage theater performances, especially the strong spatial constraints in the theater.
"We need to portray the flourishing Song Dynasty, such as canals and tea houses, within a 400-square-meter space," Ding says. "For this production, we collaborated with the creative team, including lighting and costume designers, drawing inspiration from Song Dynasty folk paintings and artwork. The overarching concept is to portray scenes in traditional Chinese painting styles.
"We hope to immerse the audience in a captivating Song Dynasty narrative, where the scenery harmoniously evolves with the music, showcasing the splendor of this magnificent era," Ding adds.
Composer Lyu Liang, a music creator for the original TV drama, says the music composition of this new opera is both challenging and distinct from previous works.
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He tries to blend traditional Chinese musical elements, particularly from the Song Dynasty, and explore the harmonious integration of Chinese and Western musical instruments in tone and temperament.
"The result of this composition will offer the audience a classical piece infused with our traditional Chinese culture and music," Lyu expresses. "My goal is to enhance the overall appeal and sing-ability of this opera."
Despite challenges, the upcoming original opera is progressing.
The creative team plans to consistently work in the Shanghai Opera House by New Year's Day 2025 and will conduct two rounds of opera workshops with the cast, giving performers a thorough understanding of the script and their roles before commencing music and theatrical rehearsals.
Zhao's broader vision: "To attract audiences who have never experienced opera before, encouraging them to pay attention to our opera, appreciate it, fall in love with it, and be willing to step into our theater to experience an opera."
