Performed by the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater,

The Yellow River Cantata — China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater

China’s most prestigious national theatre group, the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater, brought one of China’s most widely celebrated traditional vocal compositions “The Yellow River Cantata” to Australian shores at Sydney Opera House on Saturday, Aug 15, 2015. This particular concert was performed in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II.

Established in 1951, the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater has brought over one hundred original works to the stage and has even performed in front of China’s heads of state and visiting international dignitaries. The group has toured worldwide, including previous concerts in Australia for the Legend of the Four Seasons and the Chinese dance drama, Confucius.

The program for their concert at Sydney Opera House included a selection of Chinese classics that have been sung by the people of China for over 70 years. including popular folk songsThe Great Wall (female solo), The Carol of Yanan (male solo) and The Marching of the Warriors, the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China. The second half of the concert featured the renowned Yellow River Cantata composed by Xian Xinghai. His composition was inspired by the contemporary poem of the same name written by famous poet Guang Weiran in response to the turmoil of World War II and the Japanese Aggression. Xian’s Yellow River Cantata soon became one of China’s most celebrated pieces of music. and demonstrated his personal style of composition that went on to influence future generations of composers.