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szdaily -> Culture -> 
‘La Traviata’ unveiled at Bay Opera of Shenzhen
    2021-09-23  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

Mercy Ye

muxiye.mercy@gmail.com

ON the nights of Sept. 17 and 18, just before Mid-Autumn Festival, the waterfront Bay Opera of Shenzhen, also known as “the Voice of Greater Bay Area,” made its first shout-out to Shenzhen audience members with opera “La Traviata” presented by the China National Opera House.

Based on “La Dame aux Camélias” by Alexandre Dumas fils, “La Traviata” sings of the love between a famed courtesan, Violetta Valéry, and a young bourgeois, Alfredo Germont. The background of this tragic story is set in the early 19th century of Paris, where its upper class led a voluptuous lifestyle.

“It is hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful and moving operas along with ‘Carmen’ and ‘Le Nozze di Figaro,’” according to Yuan Ding, the principal conductor of the China National Opera House.

Weaving the performance together was the female director Li Dandan, who joined the China National Opera House in 1978 and has performed as the soprano for operas including “La Traviata,” “Carmen” and “Turandot.” The revival director for the show in Shenzhen was also a female director, Shi Jingfu, who was a director of the ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Many audience members had high anticipation for “La Traviata,” not only for the classic story, but also for the music by Giuseppe Verdi. The melodies of “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” and “Di Provenza il mar il suol” are well-known even to opera first-timers.

“The show was overall amazing and I had a boost of happiness,” said Linda Yan, a viewer of the Sept. 17 show, performed by Yao Hong as Valéry, and Sen Xu as Germont. Audience from the other night’s show also gave praise to the great vocal skills of the performers.

“The capacity of the auditorium, the size of the orchestra pit and the stage all met the standard of delivering a Western opera, but it would be nice if the orchestra pit could be elevated, so the audience can interact with the musicians during the curtain call,” said Eva Fan, another audience member.

Macy Zhou, who traveled from Longgang District to see the opera, was impressed by the last act, when Valéry heard the singing and chanting made by people during the carnival from the window. “The lighting, the music, and the exquisite design of the setting, all helped me to feel compassion for the protagonist.”

An audience member surnamed Lin commented on the selection of “La Traviata” as the first performance at the opera house. “The selection of this opera as the first in ‘the Voice of the Greater Bay Area’ seemed significant to me. I received an enlightening message that despite the prosperity the people of the Greater Bay Area may enjoy, we are not to be lost in the materialistic world, but rather, to reach higher into the spirituality,” Lin said.

Two popular modern Chinese operas, “The White-Haired Girl” and “Jiang Jie,” both celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, will also be staged during the opening season of the Bay Opera of Shenzhen — a new cultural landmark in the city.

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