'Jinsha River': Folk opera celebrates 91st anniversary of PLA's establishment

World
Europe

02:42

In celebration of the 91th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on August 1st, an opera telling the story of the Red Army on the Long March in the Tibetan area in 1935 has been staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Recreating an epic journey. "Jinsha River" tells the story between the Red Army trekking on the Long March and people living in the Tibetan area along the river. The advance detachment of the Red Army, under the command of Jin Ming, breaks through the enemy's defense line and crosses the Jinsha River. Lead actor Wang Zenan, who plays Jin Ming, says he's touched by the soldiers.

WANG ZENAN ACTOR, "JINSHA RIVER" "Climbing snow-capped mountains, and trudging through marshlands, this show helps me get a sense of the hardship the Red Army soldiers had to endure and the touching bond they had with the Tibetan people."

During the making of the show, director Liao Xianghong and the creative team visited where the events had taken place.

LIAO XIANGHONG DIRECTOR, "JINSHA RIVER" "When I actually went to the snowy mountains that the Red Army climbed, I was amazed by how the Red Army soldiers could achieve this. It really was a mission impossible. And I feel obliged to tell their stories to a wider audience and pass on the Long March legacy."

The opera is adapted from a novel of the same name, written by military writer Chen Jing, based on his personal experience. Staying true to the novel, the creative team integrated the Tibetan region's distinctive music and culture.

LIAO XIANGHONG DIRECTOR, "JINSHA RIVER" "Composer Lei Lei collected a lot of Tibetan musical elements such as folk songs while we visited Yunnan. Other traditional music styles are also featured in the opera."

The stage uses multi-media projections to illustrate the magnificent landscape and natural environment on the Tibetan Plateau. "Jinsha River" runs at the National Center for the Performing Arts through Saturday.