On January 5th and 6th, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre presented Vancouver residents with the chance to witness the extraordinary show, Opera Warriors. As part of a cultural exchange program hosted by Image China and presented by China Arts and Entertainment Group, the Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble traveled from China to Canada to give Canadian residents the oppourtunity to experience the artistry of Chinese theatre.
Thanks to Her Campus and Opera Warriors’ connection to UBC, I had the exciting chance to watch the premiere last Tuesday night. After writing a promotional piece about the show for Her Campus and speaking with Professor Liu about his involvement with the production (read about here), I couldn’t wait to finally see the show for myself. Whenever I see a show, I am always worried that my expectations are too high and that I’ll be disappointed. Fortunately, Opera Warriors not only met my expectations, but exceeded them!
The show presented the story of three Beijing Opera actors who study under a single martial arts master. Once the actors complete their training, the artists join a theatrical troupe and search for success while dealing with the struggles of jealousy, love and fear. Unlike many stage productions, which tell stories through dialogue or song, Opera Warriors primarily told its story through dance, acrobatics and martial arts. Without any dialogue, except for two opera songs, I experienced the show solely through the beautiful movements of the dancers.
Through all five acts of the performance, I was in awe of the incredible flexibility, strength, and gracefulness of the dancers. Before attending the show, I did not realize that it was humanly possible for legs to move in the way that they did! It is hard to narrow down which part of the show was my favourite, since each scene included amazing dancing and skill, but I absolutely loved when the dancers walked on stilts. During this act, eight male dancers walked and danced with the help of only their two toes. While I can barely walk in heels, these dancers were able to remain poised with little support.
I not only loved watching Opera Warriors because of the performers’ skill, but because of every other aspect of the production. When the curtains rose for the first act, I was already impressed by the beauty of the music, the elaborate sets and lighting design. Because of every detail put in the show told a story and expressed a message, there was no need for dialogue.
I left the Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday night with a new appreciation for Chinese theatre and a New Years resolution to become more flexible. I don’t know how the dancers do what they do, but I do know that they are incredibly enjoyable to watch. I highly recommend looking out for other shows put on by Image China and China Arts and Entertainment Group. You will not be disappointed!