“Mulan” by the Ningbo Performance & Arts Group will be staged at the Grand Auditorium at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) tomorrow and Saturday night, with the director Liu Wei, along with lead performers Hao Ruoqi, who plays the titular heroine, and ballet dancer Xia Tian, who stars opposite Hao as General Wei, talking about the show with the media yesterday at CCM.
The winner of various awards and featuring themes like loyalty, courage, filial piety and love, the production tells a heroic story of a young woman who becomes a fearless warrior, with the upcoming show, which is presented as part of the “1st Chinese Culture Performances Season”, scheduled at 7:30 p.m. on both nights, each lasting around two hours and five minutes.
According to Liu, the dance drama blends a classic story with modern twists, integrating multimedia elements. In addition to dance and drama, it incorporates martial arts and technology while also presenting the emotional connection between the leads, while also tackling familyhood, among others. Peace, love and togetherness are also elements that can be found within the show, which, according to performer Xia, also presents the synergy and emotions between all the performers, as well as the work they put in.
Hao, who said she has played the role for over nine years, added that the story has an important place in Chinese culture. In telling it through the upcoming performance, she highlighted the use of modern elements to transmit the story to a younger audience.
Hao added that she is proud to have been able to play the role, highlighting the development of the dialogue between her and Mulan’s character from the movements to the story, altogether helping her get into character and play the role better. She hopes to transmit Mulan’s characteristics and personality to the audience during the upcoming shows.
The production has received numerous awards, among which are the China Dance Lotus Award, while Macau is the latest stop in a performance that has toured around the world. Liu further highlighted the impact of Chinese dance drama outside of China, noting a positive reception and experience during performances in 2023 in Boston and Washington as examples. He noted that the group is looking forward to developing more ways to share the impact Chinese dance drama with the rest of the world, while new performances are in the works.
*Mulan (花木蘭) is a legendary Chinese heroine best known from folk tales, poems, and later literary and theatrical retellings. Her story has been told and reworked across centuries. The etymology of Mulan’s name can be explained as follows: 花木蘭 literally reads as “flower-wood-orchid.” As a personal name, it evokes floral beauty and delicacy (花, 蘭) plus a sylvan or natural element (木). The balance of characters can suggest both feminine grace and inner strength. – Poe
Performers Xia Tian (from left to right) and Hao Ruoqi, as well as director Liu Wei answer questions from the moderator of yesterday’s press briefing at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM). – Photo: Rui Pastorin
