On the evening of September 23, local time in the United States, the Chinese heroine Hua Mulan made a stunning appearance in the lyrical melody at the Wang Theater at the Boch Center in Boston, the United States. The “dance drama” has produced not only a classic legend, bus also a new environment of cultural exchanges. It was applauded once every 10 minutes on average! This was the premiere of the Chinese dance drama “MULAN” in the United States, where many overseas audiences were enchanted. More than 50 actors and actresses conveyed the unique oriental charm to the audience with their majestic and magnificent dancing performance. When the ensemble answering the curtain call, applause and cheers lasted for a full 15 minutes, which was enough to express the enthusiasm and love of more than 1,600 spectators for Chinese art.
Huang Ping, Chinese Consul General in New York, Shang Jiyuan, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, Michael Thomas, President of the New England Commission of Higher Education in the United States, Tweed Roosevelt, Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute of Long Island University, and other guests came to see the performance and gave high praise.
Huang Ping said, “This is not only a performance, but also a bridge that communicates the hearts and minds of the people of China and the United States and promotes bilateral exchanges.” Tweed Roosevelt from the Roosevelt family praised highly: “This is a great show!”
Mulan is an international acclaimed IP of Chinese culture. The American audience is already familiar with the character of Mulan. Back in 1998, Disney has filmed the animated film Mulan. In 2020, the Disney has released its real-life version of the film Mulan worldwide.
Behind the dance drama “MULAN” was China’s leading creative team. It was jointly produced by the Ningbo Performance & Arts Group Co., Ltd., the China National Opera House and the Huangpi District Government in Wuhan and has won China’s most prestigious award of the Chinese dance art China Dance Lotus Award. The drama premiered at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in 2017, and has been staged in nearly 100 performances across China since then. It will be staged in Boston and Washington for six consecutive performances this time. “Although factors such as jet lag need to be overcome, the artists are excited. The enthusiasm of the American audience is quite out of my expectation.” Hao Ruoqi, the actress of Mulan, commented.
Rick and his wife from Boston came to the show and praised with admiration, “The dancers are very professional! Their costumes and stage design also have Chinese characteristics.” Another spectator, Steve, commented: “The part of the performance that Mulan embarking on a heroic journey to the battlefield was very exciting and worthy of recommendation. The dance drama has expressed the yearning for peace, which is the common pursuit of mankind.”
It is worth mentioning that the “circular turntable” with a diameter of 15 meters and a weight of 7 tons on the stage has demolished the limitations of time and space and created more scenes for a single stage. “I have been to China. Chinese history and culture are profound. Mulan in my impression is very traditional. I didn’t expect the stage of this dance drama to be so modern like this!” Michael Thomas told reporters.
Lin Hong, chairwoman of Ningbo Performance & Arts Group Co., Ltd., said: “Ningbo is located next to Shanghai and is an important port city in China. It has been delivering excellent performances in the recent years. I hope that this performance will play a positive role in the exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and the United States.”