On the evening of April 17th, the 26th "Youth Cup" Campus Culture Festival of Hubei University of Technology and 2017 "Refined Art into Campus" held a concert offering selections from both Chinese and foreign classical operas, performed by the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater (CNODDT) in our auditorium. Prof. Cai Guangxing, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee, Ms. Xu Liqiao, Vice President of CNODDT and over 1000 teachers and students attended the concert hosted by Mr. Wu Xuhai, the head of the symphony orchestra of CNODDT.

The concert began with “Prelude” from the opera The Marriage of Figaro by conductor Zhang Zheng. The two hour performance was rich in music from western operas, such as “All I ask of you” from The Phantom of the opera, “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot, and Chinese operas,  such as “Clear Water and Blue Sky ” from Marriage of Xiao Erhei,  “Lapping Waves of Honghu Lake” from The red guards on Honghu Lake, and more.

During the performance, Mr. Wu also explained about the composition of symphony orchestras, and characteristics of some typical instruments; his presentation was well received, gaining many good comments from the audiences. The concert reached a climax when “Canon” was played with interaction from the audience, and finally ended with “Brindisi” from the opera La Traviata.

Background information

China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater, which is directly affiliated with the central government, is the largest state-level theater with the longest history in China. Within the theater there is an opera troupe, a dance drama troupe, a folk music troupe, a symphony orchestra, a stage designing department, a creation studio, and a performance department. 

In addition to a group of famous artists such as Mr. Ma Ke, Mr. Qiao Yu, Ms. Guo Lanying, Ms. Zhao Qing, Mr. Liu Wenjin, Ms. Chen Ailian, Mr. Wu Yanze, Mr. Liu Shiming, and Ms. Shan Chong, the theater has a large number of outstanding young and middle-aged artists who are loved by the audience. 

At the invitation of a good many countries, the theater has frequently presented its performance to audiences around the world. The theater has been invited to America and many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania to conduct performances, which helps not only to promote international cultural exchange but also strengthen the friendship between the Chinese people and the rest of the world.