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Boston welcomes Year of the Dog with Gala multi-cultural celebration at Cutler Majestic
opera (n.) A theatrical presentation in which a dramatic performance is set to music. opera (n.) The score of such a work.
Review By Paul Joseph Walkowski
OperaOnline.us
While not an opera in the traditional sense of the word, New Tang Dynasty TV's "Chinese New Year Global Gala: Myths & Legends" held at Boston's Cutler Majestic on January 7, 2006, was very much in the nature of opera – albeit a Chinese opera – that was a colorful and lively theatrical presentation set not only to music and ballet, but motion pictures and drums and elegant dance and singing that gave a glimpse of a culture and its history that was at times hypnotic in its presentation, sensual in its fluid movements and inspirational in its theme.
As noted, the story that unfolded here was one without words and few songs, but one that was very much rich in imagery and texture. I recall a few years ago writing about a New York Times review of Fred Ho’s “Voice of the Dragon 2: Shaolin Secret Stories” [Crouching Leopard, Somersaulting Dragon, January 10, 2004] that loosely defined the martial arts spectacle as “an opera without songs” but with “plenty of jazzy music.” This was an opera in that vein.
What came across in the two-and-a half hours of diverse performances from singers, fan dancers, a ballet troupe, a saxophone quartet, Irish step-dancers and a youth chorus, to name a few of its many elements, was not so much a human drama as you might see in a Broadway play, movie or even opera, but rather a subtle reminder of the commonality of mankind’s quest for spirituality and goodness told through its diverse performances, music and dance. The message wasn’t laid out in so many words; it didn’t have to be, as much as it was played out in each of the component parts. Ms. Xiaochun Qi’s lovely musical aria on the two stringed Erhu, for example, accompanied by pianist Janara Khassenova, was just such a moment.
The promotional notes on the piece state that “[t]he composer of this piece vows to stand on the side of justice, believing that righteousness will prevail”. Righteousness against who was found in the stunning dance number “Nine Swords” performed by “The New Tang Dynasty Perfuming Arts Center”. Here the evil dragon in red and black was protected by his human counterparts in black and white with the leader of the pack wearing the communist symbol of a Hammer and Sickle emblazoned on a cloth across his chest.
Still, it was the lofty theme of perseverance and ultimate victory of good over evil that was the message here, and which brought each act together and made us see the sum of the parts as a unified whole.
Interspersed between the colorful displays, dancing and beautiful music (no live orchestra, but rather recorded music, except for the voices of singers who performed individually) the evening presented a comfortable blending of Western and Eastern culture of dance and song that served as an entertaining and seductive vehicle for the message. For the Western element of the audience the Gala included a performance from “The O’Shea-Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance” that had the audience tapping its feet, whistling and shouting its approval at its conclusion, and a saxophone number from “The Radnofsky Saxophone Quartet” that gave a lively rendition of Leonard Bernstein's "America" from West Side Story that matched the score in all its vitality and vroom!. It was a truly rousing and full-bodied rendition that evoked images of the performers and dancers who gave that memorable scene such magic when it was first performed.
On the Eastern side of the night, there were marvelous precision dragon dances, stunning ballet sequences comprised of silken young girls in colorful outfits who were gifted with graceful movement, and flawless musical performances by soprano Ms. Min Jiang, alto Jiansheng Yang and tenor Guimin Guan. There was also a performance by Ms. Ping Li on the Dulcimer (an instrument that is a cross between a piano and a xylophone) that was simply astounding to watch and a pleasure to the ear – as was so much of this evening’s fascinating festivities.
In the program notes Mr. Li Zhong writes that “[w]e hope that through this celebration of both Eastern and Western classical performing arts, we can express our thanks to the governments and people of all countries around the world who have given support to ethnic Chinese and Chinese communities.” From this reviewer, the message back is simple: mission accomplished! It was a tantalizing and fascinating evening that made me want to stay and see more. In a word, I was simply captivated.
