(Photo : Large-scale original Chinese opera "Song Qingling")

It is the 120th anniversary of the birth of  in 2013. On September 10th, 2013, it is announced that a large-scale original Chinese opera "Song Qingling", co-produced by the Guangdong Xinghai Performing Arts Group and Beijing University Opera Research Institute, will be first presented on October 17th and 18th, 2013 in the Guangzhou Opera House.

Like Us on Facebook

The opera is the first original Chinese opera with the theme of "Song Qingling"  It will be directed by well-known director Li Wei. President of Beijing University Opera Research Institute Jin Man will serve as Art Director and will play the role of Song Qingling in the opera. The Opera will be accompanied by the Pearl River Symphony Orchestra and played by a great number of local excellent opera singers and choruses.

During an interview, famous opera artist Jin Man revealed that, they started preparing the opera "Song Qingling" since 2010 and first introduced the concert version of "Song Qingling" in 2011. "Song Qingling had a dramatic life. However, it will be too long to introduce her entire life. We decided to introduce her life through 1949 when she left Shanghai to attend the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing. The Opera will be mainly about her choices. For example, her choice of lover resulted in her following life," said Jin Man. The Opera will present the three Song sisters and their husbands. Director Li Wei introduced that, the opera would mainly focus on presenting Song Qingling's life experience, "Based on the truth of history, the opera will also help the audience imagine what haven't been recorded in the history."

Director Li Wei, who only spent several thousand Yuan on the stage design of the Chinese version of "The Merry Widow" two years ago, indicated the stage design of "Song Qingling" would remain to be "large-scale but simple". Li Wei introduced that currently European operas have totally got rid of luxurious production, "They are all learning from the impressionistic style of Chinese classic operas." Since the classic opera "La Traviata" will be presented at the end of September in the Guangzhou Opera House, it is expected that the audience will compare both operas. However, director Li Wei said he had no worries about the comparison.
According to Jin Man, director Li Wei was traditionally tutored as an accountant instead of a director. In terms of his understanding of "director", Li Wei proudly pointed out that a director should have artist's thinking, businessman's style and worker's body. "I have all these qualities to a certain extent. I believe innovation leads to the results." According to Li Wei, all the innovative design work of the opera "Song Qingling" has already been accomplished.