Dance Drama Confucius Performed at the 3rd SRIFF

    When three thousand disciples are chanting the Analects of Confucius together, the sound resounds through the sky. The chanting sound seems to have lasted for thousands of years and invaded into blood vessel of the Chinese people…..On September 10, as an important play of the shows & performance section for the 3rd Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF), the full-length original national dance drama Confucius was performed at Sofitel Convention Centre & Grand Theatre in Xi’an. Instead of a character in the textbook, “Confucius” was this time brought to the Xi’an audience in the form of dance drama.

    Focusing on the life course of Confucius’ travelling through all the kingdoms to present the whole life of Confucius, who put forward the highest idea of “acme of perfection” in art, the dance drama is presented by means of plots like Confucius’ participating in political affairs and giving advice, travelling through all the kingdoms, being in extreme poverty with provisions exhausted, playing Orchid, returning to Lu in his later years, deleting and revising the Book of Songs, writing the Spring and Autumn Annals, developing rites and music.

    At the beginning, the dance drama scene, exactly like a blockbuster, brought people striking visual impact. “Dance with Feather” in the pre-Qin period with grand scene, powerful male dance Ode to Oracle, elegant and graceful female dance “Caiwei”, huge bamboo slip throughout the whole space, solemn and grand chorus and chanting blends historical deposit and cultural connotation in dance language convergence, starts gorgeous and magic sparks, presents the oracle full of vivid details to audiences and makes this drama a best cultural gift to Xi’an audience this Teachers’ Day.

    As the latest masterpiece of China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater, the dance drama Confucius is made by 60 young, pretty and professional dancers and super-powerful lineup with great efforts, granting it unique the spirit of the times. Especially, both Hu Yang, playing “Confucius”, and Tang Shiyi, playing “imperial concubine”, are the post-90s generation and a pair of brilliant “rising stars”.

    Kong Dexin, scenarist and director of dance drama Confucius, is among the post-80s generations. As the 77th generation of successor to Confucius, she said she would build Confucius’s thinker image of “people-oriented; harmony is the most precious; etiquette comes first; loyalty and filial piety are of great importance; wisdom and integrity are individual purpose; ties of friendship really matters” with her own view of art.

    After watching the performance, Xi’an audiences were all shocked by production team with super-powerful lineup, heavy musical beat, striking image, grand and splendid scene, innovative and classic dance arrangement and impressive light of thought.

    The 3rd SRIFF is about to be formally opened on September 19. Splendid plays will continue to be performed in cultural performances. An original dance drama Silk Princess and a full-length modern drama of Shaanxi opera Yisu Theater will be performed respectively on September 20 and 23. The Opening Ceremony, Film Screening, Film Forum, Closing Ceremony & Award Ceremony and other activities will also bring wonderful programs to the 3rd SRIFF, making a “film event & people’s festival”.

Dance Drama Confucius Performed at the 3rd SRIFF in Xi’an.