Theatrical performances hit the world

The combination of stage and screen is a popular way of enjoying performing arts, which can be shared by audiences around the globe. For the same price as going to a movie, audiences can enjoy theatrical productions from around the world instead of taking a flight to London or Paris, or waiting for the shows to tour their hometowns.

From the end of April through June, 10 HD recordings of China's recent top stage and dance productions are appearing for the first time in the United Kingdom, touring cities including London, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Liverpool.

The project Global Stage on Screen opened with the HD UK premiere screening in London of the National Ballet of China's version of Giselle — an all-time favorite for ballet fans — on April 29.

In 1960, the National Ballet of China staged its first performance of the romantic classic Giselle, which has since been regarded as one of its three founding repertoires.

With Feng Ying, president of the National Ballet of China, as the production's director and producer, this version of Giselle features Qiu Yunting, the principal dancer of the Chinese ballet company playing the lead role, a young and innocent peasant girl who falls in love with Albrecht, a Duke, played by dancer Wu Sicong, who hides his royal identity from her.

When Giselle discovers she has been deceived, she is driven to madness and dies of a broken heart.

Other highlights include Writing in Water by Stan Lai, the director and scriptwriter of the Chinese theatrical production.

Featuring actor He Jiong as He Shi and actress Huang Yici, it follows the extraordinary journey of He Shi, a man who comes back to Hong Kong after his studies in the UK to start the Happyology Program. He hopes that he can introduce a richer, spiritual fulfillment to people. However, he feels discouraged by his business partners, who have their minds set solely on profit.

He Shi comes across a mysterious little girl — played by Huang — when he's about to inherit an old beach house from his late mother. Together with the little girl, He Shi embarks on a spiritual journey that enables him to experience life on an unimaginable level.

Principle by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and Uncle Vanya, a Chinese stage adaptation of the classic play of the same title by Anton Chekhov, by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, will also be screened during the tour.

Sacrifice, a classic Peking Opera, featuring actress Wang Peiyu, is also listed on the screening program, which will introduce the 200-year-old art form, Peking Opera, or jingju, to audiences in the UK.

Wang, a star of the modern Peking Opera stage, known for her solid performing techniques and vivid portrayal of male roles, plays the role of Cheng Ying, who sacrifices his baby son to replace the only survivor and heir of a persecuted family. Cheng then raises the heir as his own, only to reveal the truth when the young man grows up and seeks revenge.

Set in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Sacrifice is based on the classic Chinese tragedy The Orphan of Zhao.

"Many of these are well-known Western classics with an Eastern interpretation, and some of these are original stories that are less familiar to local audiences. We hope that this program will offer audiences in the UK a glimpse of China's top performing arts," says Li Congzhou, CEO of Beijing-headquartered ATW Culture, who co-initiated Global Stage on Screen along with UK-China Film Collab, a UK NGO for the research, practice and creation of "modern film diplomacy".

"We selected the Peking Opera Sacrifice, which is based on the 1947 version performed by the celebrated Peking Opera actress Meng Xiaodong (1908-77), who was known for her command of male roles," Li says.

In the 1947 version, Meng played the role of Cheng Ying and when Wang interpreted the role, she paid tribute to Meng, Li adds.

"Everything onstage, from the performance, singing and live band to stage presentation, was exactly the same as the 1947 version," Li says. "For some audiences in the UK, the screening of Sacrifice may be their first experience with Peking Opera."

Besides theaters in the UK, the screenings are also shown at universities there, Li adds.

"We selected the content together with our partner ATW, hoping to combine content that showcases the tradition of Chinese stage art and its modern standard, as well as Chinese interpretations of Western classics," says Hiu Man Chan, founder and executive director of UK-China Film Collab.

"We believe that soft power is about demonstrating an open attitude to world arts and culture. The program we selected is truly international," Chan says.

The live theater broadcast has witnessed a phenomenal rise in China since 2015, when ATW Culture first introduced the novel cinematic experience that appeals to both cinema lovers and theatergoers.

By the end of August 2023, the company has collaborated with nearly 30 art institutions including National Theatre Live, the Royal Opera House and Comedie-Francaise, distributing over 250 productions of dramas, operas and dances, covering 69 cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Taipei in Taiwan and Hong Kong, attracting over 800,000 audiences.

On May 21, the company announced its 10th season of live theater screenings, which will feature 36 theatrical productions from countries including France, Russia, Japan and the UK.

One of the highlights is the National Theatre's production Nye starring Michael Sheen, which is the 100th National Theatre live play since it launched its program of digital cinema broadcasts, known as National Theatre Live (NT Live), in 2009.

With this year marking the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations, productions by Comedie-Francaise will be screened in China, including two of Moliere's classic comedies — The Bourgeois Gentleman and The Impostures of Scapin.

The screenings also feature four art documentaries, including Titian: The Empire of Color, which explores the life and work of Tiziano Vecellio, one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance, and Borromini and Bernini: The Challenge for Perfection, which is the story of an architectural revolution and the famous rivalry between Francesco Borromini (1599-1667) and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680).

Besides theater screenings, audiences can also enjoy these productions online.