A poignant tale of fading memories

As the final scene of the Chinese musical Let Me Sing My Heart to You, My Mom ended, the audience did not immediately applaud. Instead, they sat in silence, deeply moved by actress Cai Ming's portrayal of a mother living with Alzheimer's disease and a son struggling to hold on to their bond.

Onstage, Cai had just completed one of the most emotionally demanding roles of her career: a mother whose memories gradually fade, with composer and playwright Xiao Ke portraying her guilt-ridden son. Many audience members sat motionless, wiping away tears before finally breaking into long and heartfelt applause.

Running from Aug 1 to Sept 13 at Xiao Ke Musical Theatre in Beijing, the production marks more than the return of a beloved musical.

For Cai, 64, the premiere also fulfilled a promise she had made nine years earlier.

"This is the day I've fulfilled a dream," Cai told the audience as the cast presented her with a cake celebrating her first-ever musical theater performance. Stepping onto a small musical stage in her 60s, she has shown that artistic discovery can happen at any age — and that some promises are worth waiting nine years to keep, as Xiao Ke puts it.

The journey began in 2017, when singer-songwriter Xiao Ke decided to create a musical inspired by his own mother, who had begun showing early signs of Alzheimer's disease. He wanted to create a work that could express emotions he had never been able to put into words.

When Cai heard about the project, she immediately responded: "You write it. I'll play the mother."

The script was completed in 2019, but scheduling conflicts prevented Cai from joining the original production. Over the following years, the musical and the actress repeatedly missed their chance to work together.

When Xiao Ke revived the production this year, he reached out once again. This time, Cai rearranged her other commitments to take part.