The Danish director, who was Director of Opera at Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London between 2011-2017, said that despite the challenges the Marco Polo opera brought to him, more importantly he wants to deliver a Chinese philosophy to European audience via this play.
"Even through the story happened in the 13th century, I want it to be a mirror to let the audience think about their own love, their understanding of culture and their identity, to let the opera directly connect the audience. And that's the beauty of cultural communication," he said.
NEW FRUIT ON MODERN SILK ROAD
Chen, the opera's executive producer, told Xinhua that the Marco Polo opera won big interest and curiosity upon its introduction to the overseas markets, where the audience is confident about China's ability in creating high-quality cultural products.
Not long before the 2018 premiere of the opera, China's experimental Peking Opera Turandot co-produced by the National Peking Opera Company and the Italian Emilia-Romane Theater Foundation was performance in Italy. Besides, in 2015 China and Italy already produced the experimental Peking Opera Faust together. Both of the operas achieved huge success in the overseas markets.
As an increasing number of Chinese cultural products are appreciated by Western audience, the CAEG launched the Silk Road International League of Theaters in October 2016. By early 2019, there have been 107 members from 37 countries and two international organizations in the union, including the CFT.
"The union will pay more attention to improving the capacity of content production and constructing an industrial operation mode in the future. It will become an important cultural carrier for enhancing people's communication in all countries along the Belt and Road," said CAEG CEO Li Jinsheng.
Cultural exchanges are playing an increasingly important part in the construction of the Belt and Road. In a keynote speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in May 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an appeal for related countries to "build the Belt and Road into a road connecting different civilizations," promoting the application of "exchange", "mutual learning" and "coexistence" in dealing with different civilizations.
Up to now, the opera staff are still polishing up on the over-two-hour Marco Polo opera in the hope that it will be a hit with the European audience.
"As an original opera in Chinese, Marco Polo still need improving," said Chen, adding that from Italy, Marco Polo will set off on its global tour.
(Xinhua reporters Deng Ruixuan in Guangzhou and Ye Xinke in Rome also contributed to the story.)
