On April 8, The Art of Mountain City in Memory, a large on-site show by Chongqing Folk Arts Troupe, was staged in Shibati Scenic Area. All performers showed Chongqing's folk art glamour with their unique techniques.
The performance scene. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
The Art of Mountain City in Memory was the first immersive and interactive folk arts show created by Chongqing Folk Arts Troupe based on Chongqing's characteristics. It presents the original folk art performance Sichuan Qingyin, arias sung in the Sichuan dialect, allowing audiences to experience Chongqing's splendid intangible culture fully.
Last April, the audition for the show was given at Shancheng Folk Art Hall and won wide praise from audiences. Differing from previous performances, this was the first on-site show based on the characteristics of the Shibati traditional scenic area. The art troupe perfected the stage art, lighting, and content to get closer to the audience.
The performance has strongly resonated with audiences. The laugh and applause were going loud for the following Chongqing-style stand-up comedy Anecdotal Stories of Mountain City, sketch Matchmaking by Bangbang, and Qingyin's song Breathtakingly Beautiful Chongqing.
In addition, a new original Qingyin song Bing Dwen Dwen was performed in the style of traditional folk arts to show respect for all athletes who competed in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. On the scene, the singer's voice and the melody of Yangqin, Chinese hammered dulcimer, Erhu,two-stringed bowed musical instrument, and other instruments were coherent. When the song ended, audiences burst into applause, pushing the show to its climax.
A new original Qingyin song Bing Dwen Dwen was performed. (Photo provided to iChongqing)
"These performances remind me of the exhilarating scenes of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which I watched on TV," one resident named Zhang Xiao said, "I really love this kind of creation based on local characteristics, and I believe that it's our responsibility to carry forward our own traditional culture."
"We choose Shibati scenic area as the venue of our first on-site show to pay our tribute to traditional folk arts and classics. We also hope that in this way, people can learn more about these unique art performances." According to a relevant head of Chongqing Folk Arts Troupe, they will create more works related to the traditions in the Shibati area to attract more visitors to enjoy Chongqing's glamorous intangible cultural heritage better.