ARTISTS ADAPT TO LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC

The lights dimmed, the conductor lifted his baton, and chorus members started to sing at a concert given by the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra in Shaanxi province on Oct 31.

However, this performance at the Xi'an Concert Hall was special, as it was staged in an empty auditorium.

Conducted by Zhu Yizhang, the livestreamed concert attracted more than 40,000 viewers that night and the next day, and an edited version has been viewed about 1 million times online.

Titled Don't Worry, the concert was staged for audiences unable to attend live performances during the coronavirus outbreak, and also to pay tribute to front-line healthcare workers.

A total of 11 pop songs, such as Legend, written and first performed by singer-songwriter Li Jian, and Big Fish, written by Qian Lei and Yin Yue, which was debuted by singer Zhou Shen, were adapted into choral songs for the concert.

The chorus, launched in 2017 by the orchestra, decided to stage the special online concert after two new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were identified in Shaanxi among a tour group in Xi'an on Oct 17.

Cao Jiwen, branding director of the orchestra, said the Xi'an Concert Hall, home to the ensemble and its chorus, is located close to popular scenic areas, such as Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Tang All Day Mall Pedestrian Street, which the tour group visited.

To rehearse for the concert, the chorus and staff members at the venue were given nucleic acid tests every 48 hours.

Cao said the live concerts due to be performed by the orchestra and chorus were canceled after the new cases were detected in Xi'an, including the orchestra's nationwide tour and performances for its new season.

"Fears about the virus have been with us for the past two years, and may be around for some time, so we decided to stage an online concert for people in the hope of offering them comfort, making them feel less lonely, and allowing them to enjoy the performance from the comfort of home," Cao said.

The performance was livestreamed on Bilibili, one of China's most popular online video sharing and entertainment platforms, which is known for its danmu (bullet screens) service, on which viewers post real-time comments while watching a film or show.

Cao said, "I was touched when I saw a screen full of comments from online audience members offering one another support."

Different way

Wang Yixi, a soprano and chorus member who took part in the concert on Oct 31, said, "Although there was no audience in the concert hall, this was a different way to interact with audiences online."

Screens were set up on the stage for the musicians to read comments posted by viewers.

Born and raised in Xianyang, Shaanxi, Wang received vocal training as a teenager and later obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees in voice performance from the Xi'an Conservatory of Music. In 2018, a year after she graduated, Wang joined the chorus of the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra.

It was not the first time she had performed in an empty concert hall, as on March 27 last year, the orchestra and chorus gave their first online concert, which was livestreamed on Bilibili.

Cao said: "Early last year, we, like many other people, went through a very hard time after the coronavirus pandemic hit. Concert halls closed down and performances were canceled. We felt very sad and depressed. Launching online programs seemed to be the only way for us to stay in touch with our audiences."

This year, with the pandemic under control in China, live performances have resumed, including those given by the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra.

Cao said, "Although new cases of COVID-19 again forced us to cancel our performances, we now feel differently about this. Early last year, the orchestra didn't know how to deal with the situation, so musicians worked extremely hard to study technology and launch online programs.

"This time, we feel very confident and relaxed. Everything is in order, and our task is to bring good music to the public."

The first online program Wang took part in featured performances teaching audiences to sing at home during the lockdown.

With her colleagues from the chorus, she streamed a show titled Sing Everyday. Using her phone and laptop, she designed and put on 68 shows at home from February to May last year.

"It was a memorable experience, although at the time I felt very challenged," she said.

"I had no online experience of singing or talking to audiences. What made me very excited was that many people who watched these shows came to see them after the concert hall reopened. They told me they simply wanted to see their 'music teachers', who entertained and kept them company during the pandemic."

Wang added that online programs are no replacements for live concerts, "because without an audience, we lack that extra magic that makes every concert unique."

She added: "We missed the other great participants in our performances－audiences. Taking the stage and feeling the energy of the people out there makes you feel more alive. The emotions of performing in the concert hall with and without an audience are completely different."

Founded in 2012, the Xi'an Symphony Orchestra recruits musicians nationwide, mostly those younger than 30.

To bring classical music closer to the public, it has been looking at different types of performance. For example, the orchestra has held outdoor concerts at landmark venues in Xi'an, such as the Terracotta Warriors Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Huashan Mountain, one of the five best-known mountains in China.

Cao said that with the pandemic under control in Xi'an, live concerts would resume in the middle of this month.

New experience

Online performances have proved increasingly popular since the pandemic emerged, with platforms and artists trying hard to find creative ways to offer audiences a different concert experience.

In June, TME Live, a performance brand that is part of Tencent Music Entertainment Group, launched a series of online shows titled Sing For You, with each episode featuring performances by a singer-songwriter given for a particular audience member.

One of the concerts was performed by Ayunga, an ethnic Mongolian singer known for his roles in musicals. The audience member was Yao Xueyun, a radiologist at No 8 Hospital in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

In January last year, Yao was traveling in Portugal, but she canceled her vacation to return to Wuhan after the pandemic hit, joining her colleagues on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

During the online concert, she told Ayunga that she listened to his songs when she was on duty at the hospital 24 hours a day.

"His voice gave me strength, especially during those hard days," said Yao, adding that her parents are both doctors and that she fulfilled a childhood wish in becoming one herself.

Ayunga said: "The idea of singing online for a particular person not only offers audiences music, but also stories and mutual emotions. We are experiencing the pandemic together. We're going to have to do things differently, as it has changed our lives, but we can find ways to do the things we love."

According to a report released by National Bureau of Statistics on Nov 1, revenue in the first three quarters of this year for cultural, entertainment and leisure services was 91.6 billion yuan, an average fall of 9.9 percent over the past two years.

The China Association of Performing Arts said in a commentary on the report, "Concerts and outdoor music festivals were canceled across the country due to the new wave of the pandemic, which dealt a heavy blow to the performing arts market."

Liu Fei, the owner of School, a popular live house venue in Beijing, which is temporarily closed due to recent new cases of COVID-19 in the city, said, "Most people still crave the live experience, and that kind of emotion will build up, being released one day when the pandemic has gone."

Tucked away in a hutong, or alleyway, in the downtown area, the venue is popular among rock fans and is home to new bands making their debuts.

Liu said: "I think we're desperate to get back out there, to have shared experiences that move us. Music is best shared with others. You can't deny the power of seeing a live performance, hearing thousands of people sing together. Experiencing that energy in person is unique."

On Oct 26, singer-songwriter Li Yuchun postponed her concert in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, which was scheduled to be held on Friday and Saturday last week.

She said that since last year, staging concerts has been put on hold due to the pandemic.

"There has been happiness and also disappointment, with these emotions being experienced repeatedly. There is nothing I can do but prepare myself for the day when the concert can finally take place," said Li, who has more than 16 million followers on Sina Weibo.

She has titled the concert, which will be her first in three years, Have a Nice Weekend.

"It will give people a break from their lives, which have been affected by the pandemic. I want to sing with a bigger voice and create a space full of imagination. I am looking forward to that day," Li added.