Opera Warriors

Direct from the Award-Winning Creative Team Behind the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics

An epic Chinese Dance Theatre production of power, passion, and the Peking Opera told through dance

China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG) presents the Canadian premiere of the exquisite visual feast Opera Warriors, January 5 & 6 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Presented as part of the cultural exchange program Image China, which introduces China’s traditional culture and contemporary award-winning art works to the world, Opera Warriors is an epic tale of power, passion, and the Peking Opera told through a mix of contemporary dance, acrobatic feats, and martial arts. SPECIAL ON SALE OFFER: Enjoy 25% off tickets in sections A+ through C until November 30 only!

Performed by 40 masterful dancers from Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble of Shanxi Academy of Arts, the grand-scale theatrical dance production will be brought to life by the award-winning creative team behind the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony, delivering a culturally rich and rare experience of the highest caliber.

“Opera Warriors showcases the newest and best of Chinese modern theatre arts. It combines the outstanding artistry and cultural traditions of China with the intensity and melodrama of western blockbuster musicals like Les Miserables and Cats,” said Zhang Yu, Board Chairman and President of CAEG. “We are truly thrilled and honoured to be making our Canadian debut in Vancouver, which will see some of China’s most prestigious dancers and martial artists tell the sweeping story of the Peking Opera. Having recently enjoyed its Australian premiere, performing in celebration of the closing of the ‘Year of Chinese Culture’at the Sydney Opera House, we anticipate Vancouverites will be equally spellbound by the production’s great innovations and entrancing dance talent.”

Set in northern China in the tumultuous early years of the 20^th century, Opera Warriors follows the fates of three exceptionally gifted Peking Opera performers who study under the same martial arts master. After completing their rigorous training, the three artists join a theatrical troupe and seem destined for success, but love and jealousy intervene.

Overflowing with emotion, extravagance and an abundance of talent, the large-scale spectacle brings together an all-star creative team including: choreographer Xing Shimiao; playwright Pik Wah Li, one of Hong Kong’s most popular columnists whose screenplay Farewell My Concubine won the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival; lighting design by Sha Xiaolan, one of China’s leading designers who worked on the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics; with an original score composed by Fang Ming.

Elaborate sets and intricately designed costuming will adorn the stage, amplifying the “superhuman flexibility” and “impressive feats” (Arts Hub, Sydney) performed by the skilled dance company.

Prior to the performance on January 5 (Opening Night), a pre-show chat will take place from 7pm to 7:30pm in the east wing of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre lobby, moderated by a UBC Professor from the department of Theatre and Film alongside dancers from the company. Please visit: operawarriors.com for complete details.

About Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble of Shanxi Academy of Arts:

Founded in 2005 as a cultural envoy from China, Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble has performed in a number of countries throughout the world, including the United States, Russia, Australia, South Korea, France, Japan, Singapore, and the Middle East as part of a number of cultural exchanges. The production Forbidden Fruit under the Great Wall was the first Chinese cultural play performed at the Kennedy Center.

About Image China:

Image China is a cultural exchange program presented by China Arts and Entertainment Group. Image China introduces China’s traditional culture and contemporary award-winning art works to the world. Since its inception in 2009, many Image China productions have been performed at the Lincoln Center in NYC and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., including the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Dance Academy: Butterfly Lovers, the dance dramas Forbidden Fruit Under the Great Wall and Silk Road, The Peony Pavilion, Qingming Riverside, Wedding of Ordos, and The Red Dress.

LISTING INFORMATION

Image China presents Opera Warriors

Dates:

January 5 & 6, 2016 at 8pm

Ticket Prices:

From $28 (plus applicable fees)

Address:

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

649 Cambie Street

Vancouver, BC V6B 2P1

Box Office:

Online: ticketmaster.ca