When Toastmaster Kate invited to see the Cross-Strait Mid-Autumn Concert at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, I started planning what to put on to look like a connaiseur of fashion and Chinese Opera.
Cross-Strait Mid-Autumn Concert 2011 was a huge musical program organized by Fu-kien Television Group (福建省廣播影視集團). It was the sixth year in a row since 2004. This year featured the mix and match of Calligraphy, Poetry, and Chinese Opera accompanied by Chinese and Western Orchestra, to interpret the four seasons, and to depict the four beauties of ancient China.
In the first half of the show, Composer and Conductor Wu Hwa 吳華 lead a orchestra group of 50 musicians to perform the theme music to open the show (瀚墨京韻), followed by four Peking Opera talents to praise the four seasons, 探梅、夢蘭、聽竹、問菊, with the animated colorful background of Chinese painting.
Like some ladies, I was interested in seeing the show, but I was more interested in being seen at the show. During the intermission, I asked Kate to walk around to greet the acquaintance and strangers, mainly the senior citizens, to make sure
my beautiful chipao was seen.
The second half of the show started with two famous Taiwanese Peking Opera singers Li Pao-chun and Wei Hai-ming, followed by four lady talents from four schools of Peking Opera, to play the four beauties of ancient China, Diaochan 貂蟬, Xi Shi 西施, Yang Guifei 楊貴妃, and Wang Zhaojun 王昭君.
While seeing the show, Michelle said that she wanted to be Yang Guifei, I joked that I could be Xi Shi, but on the second thought, I didn't want to lead a miserable life like hers, I changed to Wang Zhaojun, because I went to Mongolia to promote the Toastmasters. But both Michelle and Kate joked I was more like ruthless Wu Zetian 武則天. I didn't mind being her, the one and only Empress in Chinese history. She was not famous for her beauty, but for her communication and leadership skills. Empress Wu and I were both born in the year of goat and we were both Libras. Maybe she was me in my previous life!
The highlight of the concert was the Calligraphy Orchestra. The Chief Organizer Luzanne Shu 舒展 wrote two big scrolls of Chinese Calligraphy on stage accompanied by the orchestra conducted by Condutor Wu. It was amazing to witness the collaboration of different music disciplines to mix and match with calligraphy in a new artistic dimension and sublimation.
Af the concert, Kate, Michelle and I hang around to meet up with the talents from across the strait to get their signatures and photos. We continued our second party with a lovely chat over a light snack at the McDonald's across the street from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. I walked Kate to the Bus 311 station in the moon light to conclude a joyful evening at the begining the 8th month of lunar calendar. How I look forward to more entertaining functions in the name of Moon Festival this month to dress up, to cheer up, to lift up!
PS:
西施沉魚 Xi Shi sinks fish 昭君落雁 Wang Zhaojun drops birds
貂嬋閉月 Diaochan closes the moon 貴妃羞花 Yang Guifei shames flowers
西施腳大 Xi Shi big feet 昭君肩溜 Wang Zhaojun shoulder slip
貂蟬耳小 Diaochan small ear 貴妃腋臭 Yang Guifei body odor
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