In addition to "Turandot", the most rehearsed Western opera at the National Centre for the Performing Arts is "La Traviata". In 2021, the 120th anniversary of Verdi's death, in honor of the great composer, the National Centre for the Performing Arts' production of Verdi's opera La Traviata will be staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts six times from April 5 to 11. This edition brings together famous singers such as Zhang Liping, Shi Yijie, Liao Changyong, and is jointly presented by the famous conductor Yu Long under the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, so it is highly anticipated.
Led by opera director Henning Brockhouse, the National Centre for the Performing Arts' opera La Traviata, has been widely praised by audiences for its sophisticated production and high-level artistic presentation since its release. In this round of performances, the creative team and production team aim to "return to the classics and create new miracles", and optimize the dance, costumes, etc. on the basis of restoring the stage presentation of the first round of performances. The audience will feel the interweaving of the true and false, virtual and real, virtual and real in the dreamlike stage and under the dual perspective provided by the "mirror" stage.
This round of performances can be described as a star-studded cast, led by the famous conductor Yu Long, who in 2016 conducted the China Philharmonic Orchestra to present the National Centre for the Performing Arts version of "La Traviata", and with his deep and unique understanding of the music of the play, he left an unforgettable impression on the audience. In this round of performances, Yu Long will join hands with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, which has a long history, to bring Verdi's immortal melody to the audience. It is worth mentioning that this is also the first time that the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra has participated in the performance of the national centre for the performing arts. On the afternoon of April 2, Yu Long, who once again conducted the NCPA version of "La Traviata", said that he was very happy: "The opera production of the National Centre for the Performing Arts is the highest standard of opera production in our country now, and it is synchronized with the world. Seeing more outstanding, world-class musicians and young performers together this time, I hope that these most wonderful musicians can add color to "La Traviata". ”
In terms of the singer lineup, this performance brought together famous singers Zhang Liping, Shi Yijie, Liao Changyong and the actors of the National Centre for the Performing Arts Opera Actors Zhou Xiaolin, Kou Jing and Zhang Yang, which made the fans look forward to it very much.
After playing the male protagonist Alfred in the 2019 National Centre for the Performing Arts version of "La Traviata", Shi Yijie starred in the play again this time, which also happened to be his first opera performance after the epidemic. In this regard, Shi Yijie said: "As an opera actor, I have not been on the opera stage for a year and a half, and Singing and performing on the stage during rehearsals is a bit rusty. Because the epidemic has suddenly stopped our tight lives, I am especially looking forward to singing opera on stage again. This performance is of great significance and responsibility to us opera singers, and I hope that we can perform this opera well, so that more audiences who love opera can return to the theater to listen to the opera. ”
As the "elders" singers of the National Centre for the Performing Arts' version of "La Traviata", Liao Changyong and Zhang Liping participated in several other rounds of performances in addition to not starring in 2019, including the 2016 version with Yu Long and the China Philharmonic Orchestra. Although he has performed "La Traviata" so many times, Liao Changyong still does not dare to slacken off: "Behind the opera is to spend a lot of time to run in, even if it is this play, we have performed many rounds, but when we return to the stage to rehearse, we will still walk on thin ice." Opera is a very hard and unprofitable job, but for our professional artists, we still want to have more opportunities to work with good artists on stage. ”
Photography / Liu Fang
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
Editor/Cui Wei