Bringing Henan’s music scene to the hilt

Henan Daily

Zhengzhou: Some 20 years ago at Beijing’s Poly Theatre, tenor Dai Yuqiang starred as Alfredo Germont in La Traviata alongside soprano Yao Hong as Violetta Valery.

Zhengzhou University’s Henan Conservatory of Music, where Dai serves as the dean, the Henan Art Center and Beijing Poly Theatre Management Co jointly produced a version of the classic opera last year, marking the first Western opera produced in Henan province.

From Nov 20 to 29, 10 consecutive performances were hosted in Zhengzhou, Henan’s capital city. According to official statistics, the performances attracted nearly 20,000 audience members and 40 percent came from outside the province. All performances were streamed online, reaching more than 10 million views.

The Henan production of La Traviata will revive its performances in Beijing at the Poly Theatre from April 30 to May 3.

“A new generation of Violetta and Alfredo will take the stage, the same one we performed some 20 years ago, while we move backstage to support them. I think this represents a true artistic inheritance,” Dai says.

In 1956, the classic opera composed by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi and based on French writer Alexandre Dumas fils’s The Lady of the Camellias, was the first Western opera staged in China after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The tragic love story tells of courtesan Violetta Valery, who is forced to give up her love for nobleman Alfredo Germont under societal pressure. When the misunderstandings are resolved, the two reunite only briefly before Violetta dies of illness.

“As the first Western opera created and produced in Henan, we’ve also chosen La Traviata in hopes of faithfully reproducing this classic opera within our capabilities and establishing a preliminary impression of operatic art for our audience,” Dai says.

According to him, the team has several main objectives in undertaking this project — facilitating the development of Henan’s local music scene, cultivating talent and providing shows for opera lovers.