Portraying the Long March in a new light

The Long March, a two-year tactical retreat of the Red Army to evade Kuomintang forces starting in 1934, will be staged as an opera at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing from July 1 to 6.

Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the epic march, the opera, titled Long March, written by famed scriptwriter Zou Jingzhi and composed by Yin Qing, traces historic events during the Long March. They include the battle at Xiangjiang River, which saw around 50,000 Red Army soldiers die, and the battle at Luding Bridge, which saw a small Red Army force brave gunfire to cross the bridge and attack enemy positions on the other side - successfully securing a bridgehead for the army to cross.

"How can we make audiences feel connected with a story from 80 years ago? What do we think of the soldiers, their sacrifices and their spirit, in a contemporary era? We had many thoughts before creating this opera, and we tried to find a proper angle to tell the story," director Tian Qinxin said after a recent rehearsal at the NCPA.

It's the first opera production for Tian, one of China's most accomplished and pioneering drama directors.

Despite her famous productions, including Green Snake, which is based on well-known Chinese folklore, and Romeo and Juliet, which pays tribute to William Shakespeare, Tian says it was challenging for her to come up with ways to make the Long March story work in 2016.

After four years of preparation, Tian and her team decided to focus on the "power of walking".

"Red Army soldiers died during the march, because of the battle and because of such hardships as climbing snow-capped mountains or walking through wetlands," says Tian.

"But unlike Hollywood blockbusters, which often tell stories about one hero, we have a large group of heroes in the Long March."

The Long March is the 11th original opera produced by the NCPA. Tian says telling a Chinese story using a Western art form is always a challenge task for Chinese directors, scriptwriters and composers.

Composer Yin has combined the bel canto with Chinese folk singing.

After two and a half years spent revising the script, Zou portrays the distinctive character of the soldiers in the Long March. The roles are performed by veteran Chinese singers, including Yan Weiwen and Wang Hongwei.

Tian, who is known for being cutting-edge, gives a modern touch to the opera.

For instance, Tian invited Chinese architect Ma Yansong to design the stage using multimedia technology to portray scenery during the march.

Best-known for structures like the Absolute Towers in Canada, Ma uses expressionistic architecture for the opera settings.

Tian also uses dance in the opera, which she considers a "breakthrough" for original Chinese opera.

Co-director Yang Xiaoyang, who is also the vice-president of the Chinese Dancers Association, choreographed the dance moves for the battle scene and the scenes on the grasslands and snow-capped mountains.

"The epic march was long and exhausting. We use dance moves to portray the silent moments," says Yang.

"The opera has Tian's trademark style stamped all over it, and audiences can expect a unique experience from the Long March."

Contact the writer at @chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

7:30 pm, July 1 to 6. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000.

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn