On June 13, 2024, the Chongqing Municipal Opera Theater's exquisite national opera Red Poppies, part of the China National Arts Fund’s dissemination, exchange, and promotion project, was performed twice at CDUT's Art Building experimental theater, igniting an "opera fever" on campus. This event followed the previous year's successful lecture and promotion of Red Poppies by Liu Guangyu, artistic director of Chongqing Municipal Opera Theater. Nearly 1,200 teachers and students attended the performances, immersing themselves in the unique charm of ethnic opera and gaining a deeper understanding of the importance of fostering a strong Chinese national community. Professor Xu Qiang, President of CDUT, along with leaders of relevant departments, joined the enthusiastic audience. The cast's superb skills and emotional performances drew rounds of applause, with many audience members moved to tears during the highlights. The performance marked a successful conclusion to the spring season of the 2024 "Great Shows at CDUT".
As the curtain gradually rose, the actors, adorned in magnificent Xizang ethnic costumes, mesmerized the audience with their powerful voices and captivating dance moves, transporting them into a world filled with mystery and legend. The themes of power struggles within the Tusi family, romantic entanglements, and explorations of human nature intertwined to create a sweeping historical tableau. The opera Red Poppies, adapted from the Mao Dun Literature Prize-winning novel by Xizang writer Alai, is a work rich in ethnic cultural heritage and distinctive ethnic characteristics. It is hailed as a pinnacle piece for fostering the sense of community for the Chinese nation. Through its unique artistic techniques, the opera vividly depicts the rise and fall of the Tusi family and the perseverance and transformation of the Xizang people throughout history, representing a hallmark of localized opera in the new era. Since its premiere in December 2018, Red Poppies has been performed over 70 times in cities such as Beijing, Fuzhou, Chamdo, and Chengdu. It has garnered more than 20 national awards, including the Best Production Award at the Sixth Ethnic Minority Art Festival and the 24th Caoyu Script Award. The opera has twice been selected for the China National Opera Heritage and Development Project by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and has received support from CNAF three times. The current touring version of Red Poppies is part of the 2024 CNAF dissemination, exchange, and promotion project. After its performance at the Sichuan Opera House on June 12, the show at CDUT marked the second stop of its Chengdu tour.
Group photo of Xu Qiang, representatives from the College of Communication Science and Arts, and the performers
Scene of the performance
Audience during the performance
During the first performance in the afternoon, CDUT's Office of Retired Faculty and Staff organized over 200 retired teachers to attend. Many senior professors arrived at the theater early, eagerly awaiting the performance and thoroughly enjoying the show. Despite a sudden heavy rain before the evening performance, the audience's enthusiasm and anticipation remained undeterred, with attendance reaching a new high. The spring season of the 2024 "Great Shows at CDUT" featured six high-level dramas created and performed by top domestic troupes and art troupes from sister universities. Notable performances included the Sichuan Opera Troupe's Shadow Puppeteer and the Communication University of China's musical Graduation Weekend. Nearly 3,000 teachers and students attended these performances, many of whom experienced Sichuan opera, opera, and musicals for the first time. These diverse high-quality productions provided excellent educational resources for promoting high art and traditional Chinese culture, representing an active exploration of CDUT's Double First-Class cultural heritage and aesthetic education initiatives. The event was guided by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of CDUT, organized by CDUT's Center for Physical and Aesthetic Education, and co-organized by the College of Communication Science and Arts and the Youth League Committee. During the performances, in line with the general education art classes, CDUT also hosted multiple cultural exchange activities, including pre-show or post-show art appreciation sessions and discussions. These efforts aimed to foster an inclusive aesthetic education brand, enhance the campus cultural atmosphere, and elevate the level of campus cultural development.
Scene of the performance
