Red Sorghum set for world premiere at NCPA

The National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing will stage the world premiere of the original Chinese opera Red Sorghum from Sept 27 to Oct 3.

On Sept 17, the production opened its doors to the media for an exclusive preview, offering a glimpse of the gripping and poignant story that has captivated creators and audiences alike.

The opera's composer Guo Wenjing and director Wang Xiaodi, along with the cast, presented a selection of dramatic excerpts, revealing the opera's raw emotion and cultural depth for the first time.

Adapted from Nobel laureate Mo Yan's celebrated novel of the same title, the story captures the struggles and triumphs of the Chinese people during wartime through the lens of an epic love story set in rural China.

Guo, a celebrated composer known for his works from symphonic music, opera to chamber music, regards Red Sorghum as his most distinctive opera. Guo's aim was to make the opera an accessible and popular art form for the public, not merely an elite or niche performance.

"The opera is not an 'elite art form'; it is a 'mass art form'," Guo says. "Our goal is to ensure Chinese audiences enjoy it, and we hope it resonates with them deeply."

The opera features 160 minutes of music, integrating traditional Chinese operatic elements. Guo has infused the work with influences from Chinese opera, such as the rhythm of the accompaniment, the small transitions between musical phrases, and even the structure of the vocal lines. His choice of the bel canto technique aims to express the vitality and power of Red Sorghum's narrative, which is imbued with themes of vitality, primal strength, and unwavering national loyalty.

Guo's admiration for the material is clear: "The spirit of Red Sorghum aligns perfectly with my musical style — its vitality, its wild energy, and its commitment to national ideals," he says. "This is all woven into the 160 minutes of music, and I hope the audience will feel this connection."