This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UBC chapter.
A new year means new experiences, and the Canadian premiere of Opera Warriors is sure to promise an exciting start to 2016. On January 5th and January 6th at 8 PM in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver residents have the extraordinary opportunity to witness a performance consisting of dance, opera, acrobatics, and martial arts – all in one night! To learn more about this exciting production coming soon to Vancouver, HCUBC spoke to Professor Siyuan Liu about his involvement in the production and what to expect from Opera Warriors.
A fellow Thunderbird, Professor Siyuan Liu is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Film at UBC with a special interest in Chinese theatre. Professor Liu has been working in Beijing with the cast and team of Opera Warriors and will be giving a pre-show chat before the January 5th performance. During his pre-show chat, Professor Liu will be discussing his personal experience working alongside the production and will interview one of the artists in the performance about their experiences, such as how the training process looks like. If you’re interested in getting a ticket to Opera Warriors after reading this article, attending Professor Liu’s pre-show discussion will surely be a wonderful addition to the main performance.
According to Professor Liu, the show is “going to be spectacular” and that “the actors and dancers are just spectacular.” Considering the talented individuals behind Opera Warrior’s creative team, it is no wonder that the show will be impressive. Xing Shimiao, the choreographer, is “one of the best in China”, said Professor Liu, and has worked with Chinese national TV on multiple occasions. Sha Xiaolan, part of the lighting design team, is one of China’s leading designers and worked on the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics!
With a renowned team behind it, Opera Warriors is sure to tell its story in an impressive fashion. Opera Warriors follows the story of three Peking Opera performers who study under a single martial arts master. After completing strenuous training, the artists join a theatrical troupe and chase success while struggling with the challenges that come with love and jealousy. To tell this story, Opera Warriors features 40 dancers from the Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble of Shanxi Academy of Arts, which is an ensemble that has performed all around the world.
As part of Image China, which is a cultural exchange program presented by the China Arts and Entertainment Group, Opera Warriors offers a chance for Vancouver residents to experience the cultural traditions of China and to witness the incredible artistry of Chinese modern theatre arts. If you’re interested in experiencing this exciting production, make sure to grab your tickets while you can.
To attend the show, you can purchase your ticket through Ticketmaster or by calling the box office at 1-855-985-ARTS (2787). For more information about Opera Warriors, check out their website and watch their promotional video to get a better idea for what you’re in store for.
Make your first week of 2016 as exciting and fun as possible! Since the first week back to class is generally more relaxed than the rest of the term, you can attend Opera Warriors without feeling guilty about falling behind on work. Hope to see you at the show, HCUBC cuties!