Dutiful daughter steps out

Under the baton of conductor Li Xincao, the China NCPA Orchestra and its chorus will perform the music for the opera. Musicians of China National Traditional Orchestra will accompany them.

"China has been exploring creative ways to combine traditional Chinese music with Western opera. This opera is one of the successful attempts, featuring lots of Chinese folk music and traditional Chinese musical instruments," says Liao Changyong, an operatic baritone, who is the president of Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

It will be the first time that Liao will perform in a Chinese opera production. In the opera, Liao plays the role of Qishugong, an elderly man who works undercover for the CPC.

"He wants to contribute to the revolution and is very brave. There were so many ordinary people like him and Tian who sacrificed their own lives for the country's liberation," says Liao, who is known for playing roles in Western operas, such as Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by Mozart and Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata (The Fallen Woman).

Soprano Lei says that her early experience of learning huaguxi ("flower-drum opera"), a local Chinese opera style unique to the Hunan region, is very helpful for her when playing roles in Chinese operas, which feature lots of Chinese folk music elements.

Known for her performances in Chinese operas, including The White-Haired Girl and Mulan, Lei says she was coached by veteran musicians who participated in the original version of the opera, enabling her to not only interpret the role, but also learn about the spirit of the heroine, Tian.

"She faced such difficulty being apart from her child and then being betrayed by her comrades. However, she was a very strong and determined woman, who didn't give up and held onto her firm beliefs as a Party member," says Lei.

According to conductor Li, before doing rehearsals, the orchestra and chorus read the music scores of the opera thoroughly. They have also adapted some of the songs into versions that will appeal to a contemporary audience.

"From the music to the stage set and costumes, the opera will offer the audience a sense of freshness, even though the story is a classic one. It's the spirit of the characters portrayed in the opera that deserves to be passed on to the younger generation," says Li.