'Elegance of Traditional Opera' thrills gala viewers
One of the most acclaimed acts from the Bilibili New Year's Eve Gala is The Elegance of Traditional Opera ("Jing Hong" in Chinese), an innovative performance combining elements of traditional Chinese opera and modern dance. The lead performer, Qiu Jirong, is a fourth-generation successor of the Qiu school of Peking Opera and also known for his artistic crossovers.
The performance is set in Qiu's dreams, where he weaves together modern dance and classical scenes from six schools of traditional Chinese opera: Kunqu Opera, Qinqiang Opera, Pingju Opera, Sichuan Opera, Hebei Opera and Peking Opera.
The legacy and character of Qiu, the fusion of modern dance and Chinese opera, the contemporary presentation of traditional aesthetics, and the interaction between reality and fantasy are all mixed in the dream of one performance. The nine-minute segment allows the audience to experience the power of cultural inheritance and integration in the present.