Shanghai's golden-voiced girl heads to Broadway
- Source: Global Times
- [09:44 August 11 2010]
- Comments
A scene featuring young Zhou Xuan (front) from the musical dance drama Zhou Xuan. Photos: Courtesy of Shanghai Opera House
The director of Zhou Xuan, Chen Weiya, was the vice director of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games opening ceremony.
He believes that Zhou Xuan is still remembered by Chinese people, especially Shanghai people, not only because of her beautiful voice and her songs, but also because of her tortured life.
"Of course 100 different people will have 100 different opinions about her. In our show we want to present Zhou's simplicity and innocence, and her permanent love for her art. Even in the later years of her life, Zhou contributed a lot to the anti-war movement by giving charity performances, helping organize ordinary people to be active," Chen said.
"We are not just telling a story about Zhou Xuan herself, who was only 39 years when she died, but we are also trying to reveal the history of Shanghai that existed alongside this wonderful singer."
Unlike big Broadway shows, where the music often delivers loud, brassy renditions of the songs with big choruses and a full orchestra, in Zhou Xuan, the music has a particular traditional quality related to Chinese opera and the Shanghai airs of the 30s to 40s.
Artistic director Zhou Jie said that as well as the classic hits sung by Zhou Xuan, this original show will portray the city which could be seen in her day.
"We will bring to the stage the cries of sellers through the streets, old-fashioned posters and the fashions of that time."
Zhou Jie plays the role of a modern artist in the show. "I look back at her past life but from a modern point of view," she said.
Zhou Xuan's life has been told in several different ways over the years.
A 1982 Hong Kong film featured mainland actress Shen Danping in the role of a 1930s singer clearly based on Zhou Xuan. The film's Chinese title was Nighttime Shanghai, one of Zhou's 1930s hits which had a different title for its English release, A Lady From Shanghai.
In 1987, a Taiwanese television station aired the miniseries Yidai Gehou (The Song Queen of A Generation).
And in 1989, HKTV made a miniseries called Songstress at the Ends of the Earth, again named after a Zhou Xuan hit.
In 2005, a stage musical based on her life was produced in Beijing.
"The biggest difference between our production and the earlier shows will be that, although it is called Zhou Xuan, it is not just about a singer, but it is also about the society around her," Zhou Jie said.
This production will have English subtitles.
Date: August 13 to 15, 7:30 pm
Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater
上海大剧院
Address: 300 People's Avenue
人民大道300号
Tickets: 100 to 680 yuan
Call 6386-2836 for details
