A journey to discover the fascinating culture around the Silk Road
Sunday, November the 3rd 2019 at 7:30 pm
Tuscany Hall Theatre in Florence
Sunday November 3rd, the Tuscany Hall Theatre hosted the show “See you again in a thousand years. A journey to discover the fascinating culture of the Silk Road”, a journey along the Silk Road through songs, dances, instrumental music, sound and light effects.
The Chinese Culture has very ancient roots. During its evolution, long invisible “threads” have been weaving a tight bond between East and West: the Silk Road, and the Maritime Silk Road. These commercial routes, besides transforming the world into a single large family with a shared destiny, have opened a bright way for exchanges, also fostering cultural and artistic prosperity.
“See you again in a thousand years”, the show
The show “See you again in a thousand years”, centred on the Silk Way, means to display the enchantment of Chinese culture, proudly five thousand years old, together with the various expressions of Art developed within; through singing, dancing and instrumental music, together with the use of sound, light and electronic, it will present historical facts, typical characters and key regions to the public. A few brief re-enactments will be staged, paying homage to those who contributed substantially to integration and exchange between the eastern and western civilisations throughout history.
“See you again in a thousand years - A journey to discover the fascinating culture around the Silk Road” is a cultural itinerary, designed to encourage integration between the different nationalities populating the planet, and an artistic exchange to promote the building of a human community sharing its own future.
Let us be raptured by the magic of the “Eastern Light”, embarking on a fantastic “Journey along the Silk Road”, admiring the brightness of “The Silk Road Pearl”, being seduced by the sinuous and changing “Beauty of the Silk Road”, in the name of this “See you again in a thousand years” we just exchanged, hoping to travel far away, one day, towards an enchanted land.
THE PROGRAMME
Preface
Since the II century B.C. when Zhang Qian was sent on a mission to the western regions, the bells of the camel caravans are still sounding today. Zheng He sailed the western seas 600 years ago, not only opening the Maritime Silk Road but also connecting by sea the exchanges between civilisations.
During the last two centuries, different civilisations have learned from each other, making the world an enriched and colourful place. We are sure that the light of mutual understanding between societies will make the future of humanity radiant. So let us turn our eyes in unison towards this light of civilisation which has been illuminating the Silk Road during two thousand years …..
Prologue
This light of the Orient, between dream and imagination, is an ancient country’s outlook on the world, while treading through the immensity of deserts and travelling among countless threats along the way ….
I Act: Voyage along the Silk Road
1. “Zhang Qian” (acting piece)
Zhang Qian was a famous diplomat, traveller and pioneer of the Silk Road in ancient China. In 139 B.C. he was sent on a mission in the western regions, actually opening the transition to communication and integration between eastern and western civilisation.
2. “Bronze Bells and Drums concert” (with a group of male dancers)
The bronze bells (‘bianzhong’ in Chinese) are in fact the most ancient percussion instrument of the country. The concert of bells and drums is based on a classical interpretation and it accompanies a choreographed performance of tajiquan, graceful and powerful at the same time.
3. “Rainbow Dresses and Feather Costumes” (group of female dancers)
This dance stages the traditional ball held over 1000 years ago at the imperial palace under the Tang dynasty: a group of court ladies danced in long-sleeved colourful dresses, leading onlookers towards the enchanted world of fairies inside the Moon Palace.
II Act: Pearl of the Silk Road
4. “Voyage towards west” (acting piece)
Over than 1300 years ago, an eminent monk of the Tang dynasty travelled across more than a hundred countries, through countless difficulties, to spread Buddhism. While he was translating the Buddhist sutras, he also wrote his “Voyage West”, describing in detail the customs of the various places he visited.
This story, translated into German, French, English, Japanese and many other languages, had a deep impact on the global development of culture and Xuan Zhang is unanimously acknowledged as excellent harbinger of cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreigners.
5. “The Dance with the long Silk Ribbon - Playing the Chinese Lute” (Trio of female dancers)
In this Chinese traditional dance, performed in the past at the royal palace during the sacrifices, the girls play gracefully with the various coloured ribbons, throwing, catching and twirling them while they dance. This is one of the most beautiful choreographic representations, which may be admired on the murals inside the Dunhuang Caves, one of the finest artistic examples in China.
6. “Flying Apsaras throwing Flowers” (group of female dancers)
“Apsaras” is the name of the flying spirits belonging to the Buddhist Pantheon: richly attired and holding long ribbons, they are the symbol of the Dunhuang culture, and were beautifully depicted inside the Dunhuang caves in China. The dance is performed very realistically to convey the image of the Apsaras to the audience.
7. “Buddha’s Warriors - Masked Dance” (group of male dancers)
These warriors are to be found inside the Cave of the Thousand Buddhas at Dunhuang, painted on the murals and sculpted in terracotta statues. The performers of this masked dance (‘jiyue’ in Chinese) impersonate Buddha’s warriors, defeating daemons and protecting the living.
8. “The Thousand Hands of the Bodhisattva Guanyin” (group of female dancers)
This dance, again inspired by the Dunhuang murals, shows vividly the various realistic Buddhas represented in the cave, together with the warm and graceful figure of the Bodhisatva Guanyin with one thousand hands.
III Act: Beauty of the Silk Road
9. “Marco Polo” (acting piece)
Marco Polo, the Italian voyager who travelled across China during 17 years, left to the posterity an amazing book, renowned all over the world, the “Milione”, launching the era of direct contacts and dealings between Cina and the western world.
10. “Singing on the snow-covered Highlands” and “The Girl from Daban” (group of dancers)
The best singing and dancing ethnic groups in China are the Tibetans and the Uyghurs. On the snowy plateau, they express their love of life with the oriental tip-tap and, in the city of Daban, their desire for happiness with graceful dances.
11. “The wild Goose” (male solo singing)
This is a popular song of the Mongolian minority. The harmonious sounding melody expresses the traveller’s homesickness.
12. “Uyghur Wedding” (acting piece - dance)
The dance, considered Chinese intangible cultural heritage, stages a traditional wedding among the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority living in the north-western part of China.
13. “Zheng He’s Voyages”
Zheng He was a famous voyager and diplomat in ancient China. In 1405 he led, for the first time, his fleet for a mission in the Western territories, an endeavour he repeated seven times, thus opening a route for maritime, economic and cultural exchanges between China and the African and Asian countries.
14. “Mo Li Hua” and “O’ Sole mio”
At one end of the Silk Road, jasmine is pure white and fragrant, discreet and simple, it corresponds to the Chinese nation’s nature. “The beautiful Jasmine Flower” may be sung and adapted wherever in the world.
At the other end of the Silk Road, the Italian country basks in the sun of the Mediterranean seashore, passionate and enthusiastic, and the moving song “=’ Sole mio - My Sun” merges with the Chinese melody “Mo Li Hua”, offering an extraordinary musical experience.
Epilogue: See you again in a thousand years
It is on the Silk Road that we shall meet again in a thousand years, so let us be driven by singing and dancing, let us drink to future friendship, let us sing to love and happiness and let us share the radiant future on its way.
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