Medieval makeover for expo-friendly opera house
The striking songs of Carmina Burana, a cantata written by German composer Carl Orff in the 1930s, will launch the Shanghai Oriental Art Center's new season next month together with a dance show by the Shanghai Opera House.
Based on 24 medieval poems known as the "Songs for Beuern," Carmina Burana was the most widely staged cantata in the 20th century, but it has not showed in Shanghai for the last five years.
"It's a pity that such a high-quality production has not been staged here for so long, so we plan on showing it to new audiences as our official curtain raiser," said General Manager Lin Hongming.
"The show features a perfect combination of Western music and Oriental lyricism. It's a very striking piece."
This production has a cast of 180 people including a symphony, scores of colorfully-dressed dancers and a 100-member choir performing on both sides of a dark stage under the baton of Zhang Guoyong. Lead singers include baritone Yang Xiaoyong, soprano Xiong Yufei and tenor Zheng Yao.
The production won immediate acclaim upon its German premiere and was staged at a Shanghai music festival in 2004.
The local art center's new performance season is made up of 72 different shows lasting for 290 days. The centerpiece is a series of symphonic concerts from internationally acclaimed conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach, Mischa Maisky and Vladimir Ashkenazy, not to mention the planned arrival of the London Philharmonic and Sydney Symphony orchestras.
To celebrate the opening of the World Expo 2010, the top symphonies have been scheduled to coincide with the event's launch next May. Artists from India, Scotland and the Cloud Gate Modern Dance Company from Taiwan will also perform dance shows.
Tickets for about one in three of the season's performances are on sale now.
Sept 20, 7:15 pm
Opera Hall - Shanghai Oriental Art Center
425 Dingxiang Road
丁香路425号，上海东方艺术中心
Tel: 6854-1234
Tickets: 80-500 yuan (40 yuan for students)
(China Daily 08/22/2009 page14)
