Show a unique China-Malaysia collaboration

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Standing atop a flat patch of land reclaimed from the waters of the Melaka Strait is a futuristic white building, with changing colored LED lighting at its top.

This is the purpose-built home of Encore Melaka, the first ever overseas production of China's famed Impressions series. But what goes on inside this 100-million-US-dollar auditorium is even more remarkable.

The central platform that can seat 2,000 people rotates 360 degrees, even though the illusion created is that it's the 250-meter-long stage and its performers that are rotating.

The theatre was purposely built on reclaimed land to stage Encore Melaka. /CGTN Photo

The show and the theatre are the result of a unique China-Malaysia collaboration that encompasses the performing arts, architecture and technology.

Its genesis came after the CEO of local property developer Yong Tai wrote on spec to the office of famed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, who co-created the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony and the Impressions series. Boo Kuang Loon wanted to find out if there was any chance of bringing a version of the show to Melaka.

To his surprise, he got a response, and after the directors visited Melaka, they all agreed to collaborate on creating the Encore Melaka show.

"For this project, in China it's all initiated by the local government. It has never been initiated by a private entity before," said Yong Tai CEO Boo Kuang Loon. "This Encore Melaka, the funds are from Malaysia, performers from Malaysia, story about Melaka but the idea, the innovation and the expertise comes from China."

Boo Kuang Loon approached Zhang Yimou about bringing the Impressions series to Melaka. /CGTN Photo

And it's fitting that on the 40th anniversary of modern China opening its doors to the outside world that this collaboration should be happening in the city of Melaka.

Melaka plays a key role in the history of the ancient maritime Silk Road, which China is now revitalizing through the Belt and Road initiative.

China's economic, cultural and historic ties here date back to the beginning of the 15th century, when Chinese Admiral Zheng He or Cheng Ho visited the important trading post with his vast fleet. He returned to Melaka several more times, leaving behind men who inter-married with local women to create a unique cultural melding known as Baba-Nyonya.

Both the arrival of Admiral Zheng He and the hybrid traditions and costume of the Baba-Nyonya feature prominently in the Encore Melaka show, which comprises astounding set pieces including a scene with multiple shafts of water cascading down upon the performers, the actors and scenes seemingly floating above the stage, and immersive sections where performers carrying lanterns walk among the audience.

Spectators are dazzled by what they see. These were some of the reactions I heard from people who attended the premiere.

Audience members say they were amazed by the effects and staging. /Encore Melaka Photo

"It's very well done. I like the visuals, the music and the stage technology was very advanced."

"I think my favorite part was the one where they played with light and water. It was beautiful."

"The effects, special effects, with the lights were amazing and with the water features. And yeah, we were really impressed with the 360 theatre."

But creating this slick and dazzling show as well as the venue itself threw up numerous challenges.

"The director is not an architect, and a director is not a builder," said CEO Boo. "But who can enter the director's mind to dig out what they think the theatre should look like in their mind and put that onto the drawing board? So this itself is something that is very challenging."

Performers prepare for the evening's show. /CGTN Photo

Chinese director Wang Chaoge loved the finished theatre. "This is the most sophisticated theater I've ever used in my whole life," she told the press at the premiere. "It's the most high-end and the most user-friendly theater. I think it has an elegant and mysterious charisma."

But she also acknowledged what a challenge it had been to get the 200 local performers to attain her exacting standards. She recounted how they were unused to the long hours of intense rehearsal and that some even fainted.

The performers, too, say that working with Wang pushed them beyond their comfort zone… but for the good.

"Wang Chaoge brought our training and rehearsal to a higher level," Jackson Yew Chun Eng told me. "She was so professional. She wanted to make sure each of us, no matter how big or small our role, remember everything precisely and perform perfectly... whether one time or a thousand times."

The unique Baba-Nyonya culture of Melaka features prominently. /Encore Melaka Photo

Boo believes the show is very much in keeping with the Belt and Road Initiative, but an aspect of the initiative that is often overlooked amid the talk of investments and industry and infrastructure: People-to-people ties.

"This Encore Melaka theatre performance can actually be a model of the One Belt, One Road from China and the One Belt, One Road countries over how they can cooperate together and work together," he says. "First build the people link. I think that is the most important. There's nothing more important than which is the heart must first link up."

It was his concern that Melaka didn't offer visitors enough nighttime entertainment that inspired Boo to approach Zhang Yimou about bringing the Impressions series to the UNESCO heritage city.

And he will be hoping that tourists - both local and foreign - flock to Encore Melaka to be immersed into this colorful interpretation of the city's long and storied culture and history.

(Cover: The water sequence is guaranteed to wow the audience. /Encore Melaka Photo)