Series Outstanding Performances from China's National Art Troupes

Drama Chopin Great Repertoire of National Art Ensembles 2011

Venue： Theatre

Dates： Sept. 17, 2011-Sept. 18, 2011

Duration： approximate 150 mins, no intermissions

Price： VIP/480/400/320/200/120 RMB 

About

Playwright: Feng Daqing Director: Wang Xiaoying Leading cast: Yu Yang, Jiang Jiaqi, Tian Yu, Wang Weiguo.

Chopin is the musical drama elaborately created by National Theatre Company of China (NTCC) in order to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Chopin. It tells Chopin's legend during his lifetime, who resides in France and experiences soul conflicts between individual and motherland, love and hate in the course of musical career and love. Following Blind City, this drama is a classic masterpiece as a result of the cooperation between director Wang Xiaoying and playwright Feng Daqing once again. This is a legendary romance story, and this is a patriotic music composition beyond time and space. The cast brings together the old, the middle-aged and the young generations of excellent performances.

Performer: National Theatre of China National Theatre of China (NTC)

National Theatre of China (NTC) was established on December 25, 2001 by merging the former China Youth Art Theatre and Central Experimental Theatre. NTC has attracted a cohort of talents from the fields of drama, TV and film arts. It offers a platform where tradition meets modernity and state-of-the-art performance is pursued to nurture theatrical masterpieces.

During recent years, NTC has presented a number of great plays on its stage, including The Dawns Here Are Quiet, The Chinese Orphan and The Wilderness and People, becoming the pillar in domestic drama community.

Synopsis

In October 1849, the Polish musician Chopin, who goes into exile in France, is gravely ill at the point of death. As he lays dying, "the Polish orphan going far from the mother" tells the family members to carry his heart back to the homeland Poland. And Chopin embarks on a special musical farewell.

On the Polish field, "Mazurka" fascinatingly appears in front of Chopin, but cruel foreign invaders destroy his dreams and hopes. He refuses to take the post of "Chief Pianist of His Majesty, the Emperor of Russia", and leaves the disaster-stricken motherland with a handful of national soil.

With the help of Professor Elsner, Liszt and George Sand, the displaced Chopin takes advantage of his musical talent to shock the whole Paris overnight. His romance story with George Sand infuses Chopin's creation with more inspirations. In Paris Salon, "Polonez not only gives vent to his love for motherland sadly and happily, but also expresses his deep homesickness and hate for national subjugation.

On October 17, 1849, Chopin passes away in Paris; people sing his favorite Polish folk songs. The wonderful songs summon Chopin's soul back to his hometown Poland...

Editor: Dong Lin