Opera 'Thunderstorm' warms the friendship between China and Canada

Transparency

This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Canada, the 30th anniversary of friendship between Guangdong and British Columbia, and the 40th anniversary of friendship between Guangzhou and Vancouver. On the evening of May 8th, students and teachers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada and Sun Yat-sen University joined hands to perform an opera adapted from Cao Yu's renowned work "Thunderstorm." It is reported that UBC's opera "Thunderstorm" tour in China will cover a total of 9 cities, with performances scheduled in cities including Beijing, Nanjing, and Chengdu, apart from Guangzhou.

The opera presented by UBC focuses on the ill-fated character Fanyi as the central figure, interpreting a modern Chinese literary classic in the form of Western opera, with students of diverse ethnic backgrounds from UBC singing in Chinese.

"Before directing this opera, I was not familiar with 'Thunderstorm', but upon encountering it, I discovered it to be a treasure trove of opera," said Nancy Hermiston, director of the opera and head of the UBC Opera Ensemble. "The plot of 'Thunderstorm' is profound and intricately woven, not only introducing me to Mandarin but also allowing me to appreciate its unique poetic beauty."

Regarding the decision to perform in Chinese, Nancy Hermiston stated, "Vancouver, where we are based, has a large Chinese population. Performing in Chinese is not only a tribute to Chinese culture but also a tribute to the contributions of the Chinese to Canada. We want them to know how much we value their efforts and culture."

Jon Barrett, deputy consul of the Canadian Consulate General in Guangzhou, expressed that music and stage arts are a universal language that transcends borders. When students and teachers from China and Canada collaborate to perform the opera "Thunderstorm," they are deepening the most sincere connections between the people of the two countries.

Beyond the stage, the UBC students and teachers have been immersing themselves in Cantonese opera, Guangdong dim sum, and other Lingnan cultures during their stay in Guangdong.

Emma Jang, who plays the role of Fanyi, told reporters that participating in this tour holds special significance for her. "M father's ancestors were from Guangdong and came to Canada in the 1850s to build the railways. Unfortunately, with generations passing, the Chinese culture passed down has gradually faded, and now I only know about traditional festivals like the Spring Festival." She expressed her happiness at having the opportunity to return to China and perform "Thunderstorm" on Chinese soil, feeling a wonderful sense of connection that has deepened her closeness to Chinese culture.

Nancy Hermiston candidly stated that art serves as a "lubricant" for resolving differences. "The world is currently facing many challenges, but there are deep grassroots ties between China and Canada. Canada has a large Chinese population, and there are many Canadian businesses in China. Whether it is this tour in China or the signing of a cooperation memorandum with the School of Arts at Sun Yat-sen University, we hope to initiate more substantive cooperation in fields such as music education and artistic creation starting from opera."

Source: Lingnan On the Cloud

歌剧《雷雨》跨洋“回乡”，中加友谊以戏为桥在穗升温

今年是中国与加拿大建交55周年、广东与不列颠哥伦比亚省结好30周年、广州市与温哥华市结好40周年。5月8日晚，来自加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚大学（UBC）和中山大学的师生携手，共同演绎了改编自曹禺名作《雷雨》的歌剧。据介绍，此次UBC歌剧《雷雨》中国巡演一共涉及9个城市，除广州外，歌剧还将在北京、南京、成都等地登台。

UBC带来的歌剧《雷雨》以命运多舛的蘩漪作为形象主体，以西方歌剧形式诠释中国现代文学经典，由来自UBC的多族裔学生以中文演唱。

“执导这部歌剧前，我对《雷雨》并不了解，接触后却发现它简直是歌剧的宝藏。”歌剧《雷雨》导演、加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚大学（UBC）歌剧系主任Nancy Hermiston说，“《雷雨》的故事情节深邃而错综复杂，不仅让我接触到普通话，更让我领略到其中独特的诗意之美。”

谈及为何坚持用中文演出，Nancy Hermiston表示：“我们所在的温哥华市有很多华人。用中文演绎既是对中华文化的致敬，也是对华人为加拿大所作贡献的礼赞，我们想让他们知道，我们多么珍视他们的付出与文化。”

加拿大驻广州总领事馆副领事Jon Barrett表示，音乐和舞台艺术是超越国界的共同语言。当中加两校师生携手演绎歌剧《雷雨》时，他们正在深化两国人民之间最真挚的联系。

舞台之外，连日来，UBC师生一行还在广东体验了粤剧、广东点心等岭南文化。

饰演蘩漪的Emma Jang告诉记者，参与这次巡演，对自己意义特殊。“我父亲的祖辈是广东人，在19世纪50年代到加拿大修建铁路。遗憾的是，随着世代更迭，传下来的中国文化渐渐淡了，现在我只知道像春节这样的传统节日。”她表示，很高兴有机会回到中国，能站在中国的土地上演绎《雷雨》，这种联结感很奇妙，让她对中国文化有了更深的亲近感。

Nancy Hermiston直言艺术是化解分歧的“润滑剂”。“当前世界面临不少挑战，但中加之间有着深厚的民间纽带——加拿大有庞大的华人群体，中国也有许多加拿大企业。无论是此次中国巡演，还是我们与中山大学艺术学院签署合作备忘录，都是希望以歌剧为起点，在音乐教育、艺术创作等领域展开更多实质合作。”

文、视频｜记者 李焕坤 实习生 周夕惠 陈婕

翻译｜钟佳

审校｜林佳岱