Hey there! Have you ever wondered what happens when old traditions meet cool modern music? 🎸🎶 Well, a new musical called ‘Till We Meet Again’ does just that! It mixes traditional Chinese opera with jazz swing, rock music, and even street dance! How awesome is that?
The story takes place over 100 years ago, around 1917, in a famous Peking opera theater called the Huguang Guild Hall. It follows a young guy named Jinsheng, who’s a star warrior performer in a Peking opera troupe called “Chunming.” In Peking opera, a “Male Warrior” or Wusheng is a character who performs amazing combat scenes with cool moves! 🗡️🕺
Li Chenyuan, the actor who plays Jinsheng, had to learn all the traditional opera techniques from scratch! He said it was a big challenge but also super fun. “The more you practice,” he shared, “the more you feel the magic in every movement.” ✨
The director, Li Zhuoqun, usually works with traditional operas. She wanted to create a musical that keeps the heart of Chinese opera but tells the story in a way that’s exciting and new. She believes musicals and traditional operas are like cousins—they both use songs and dances to tell stories and show emotions.
One of the coolest parts of the show is called “Chinese Romance.” Imagine Disney-style singing and dancing, but with Chinese traditional clothes like robes and qipaos! 🌙💃 They even sing old Chinese poems, mixing eastern and western styles in a way that’s totally fresh.
Both Li Chenyuan and Li Zhuoqun hope that by mixing these styles, more people—like you!—will get excited about traditional Chinese culture. They believe that combining the elegance of opera with the energy of rock and swing makes for an amazing show that everyone can enjoy.
So next time you’re looking for something fun to watch, maybe check out a show like ‘Till We Meet Again’! You might just find a new favorite. 😉🎭
Reference(s):
When swing and rock collide with Chinese operas in a musical
cgtn.com
