Changsha symphony brings cultural landmark to stage

BEIJING, Feb. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A news report by China.org.cn on the 2023 Changsha New Year concert:

Have you ever imagined what it’s like to bring to the stage a cultural landmark with 1,000 years of history at a live New Year’s concert?

This was exactly what the Changsha Concert Hall recently presented to its audience through a full symphony orchestra. The stage was set up with Yuelu Academy on screen display in the background, surrounded by replicas of lush trees and traditional buildings of Hunan province.

Yuelu Academy is one of the world’s oldest academic institutions. As the cradle of the local Huxiang culture and traditions, the academy champions the idea of staying realistic and pragmatic, which had exerted a profound influence on China’s modern history. Mao Zedong lived and studied there in his youth, and he often reflected on the idea of “seeking truth from facts,” or “Shi Shi Qiu Shi” in Chinese. The four Chinese characters were inscribed on a plaque hung in front of the academy’s lecture hall. Mao later established the principle of “Shi Shi Qiu Shi” that inspired the Communist Party of China over the past century. During his visit there in 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping hailed the academy as the birthplace of the principle of seeking truth from facts, a fine tradition of the Party.

Based on this, the symphony presents the cultural legacy of Yuelu Academy, the Party’s century-long history, as well as China’s development through its five chapters.

With a beautiful melody, Yuelu Academy opens its door to the audience. Videos played on a screen at the back of the stage accompany the symphony and its unique local sound. As they enjoy the performance, audiences could also learn about origins of the culture and history of Yuelu Academy and get a glimpse of the Party’s glorious journey.

The music innovatively infuses a classic Chinese folk song with “The Internationale” to present the Party’s arduous pursuit over the past century. Tunes like the Chinese national anthem are used to represent China’s accomplishments under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era over the past decade. In the final chapter, the inspiring music heralds China’s great journey toward national rejuvenation, presenting China’s stories to audiences from around the world.

The concert is truly an acoustic and visual feast. And it is a star-studded one featuring the China Philharmonic Orchestra. It is no doubt a standout musical work from Changsha, recognized by the UNESCO as a city of media arts. The concert is a worthy effort to use symphony to recount the millennium-old academy’s history and present China’s path of development and the Chinese spirit. Through this creative expression, the audience can understand how the Party carries forward the glorious tradition of seeking truth from facts.

The orchestra will embark on a global tour, enabling the musical piece imbued with a distinctive Chinese style to resonate with international audiences. Via the process, China’s stories will be better known globally.

China Mosaic
http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/index.htm
Changsha symphony brings cultural landmark to stage
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-02/10/content_85100309.htm

SOURCE China.org.cn