“Confucius” Performed by the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theatre (CNODDT)

Traditional Chinese culture was woven throughout every beat of this dynamic narrative of Ancient Chinese history performed by the China National Opera & Dance Drama Company (CNODDT). Dancers’ silky dresses and breathtaking movement sequences came together to tell the tale of China’s renowned historical philosopher in a soul-stirring performance of the musical dance drama “Confucius” at Sydney’s State Theatre on Nov 18, 2014.

 The “Confucius” dance drama is based on formative events that took place during the life of Confucius. This performance was far more than a simple recollection of Confucius’ journey exploring the human pysche, soul, and spirit; it shared a glimpse into his inner turmoil upon realising his greatest dream could never truly be realized. The narrative begins in a period of social disorder when the people answered to their king who was also a fatuous hedonist. Even though Confucius spent his whole life trying to improve the political conditions of his nation and the quality of life for everyday citizens, the king was not an advocate of these ideals and enjoyed indulging in the frivolous pleasures of life at the expense of his people. This story was performed over six sections:

• “Inquire”

• “An Era of Disorder”

• “ Running out of Food”

• “Great Harmony”

• “The Melancholy of Humanity”

• and “Cheering”.

In contrast to other Historical dance dramas, “Confucius” emphasized the specific experiences and characteristics of certain characters to represent the tone of an entire historical period and evoke a modality of humanistic thought from the audience.

With over 10 million yuan in investments, CNODDT offered Australian audiences the chance to better understand  Chinese culture while enjoying an evening of quality arts and entertainment. Viewers were temporarily transported back to ancient China, where they witnessed the origins of a rich Confucian culture that is now pervasive in all parts of the world.

NCPA Orchesra of China Australian Premiere

For the first time ever, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) Orchestra visited Australia to perform at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Tuesday 6 November 2012. The concert was performed by a world class orchestra of ninety instrumentalists led by the NCPA’s Artistic Director of Music, Zuohuang Chen.   

Established in March 2012, the NCPA Orchestra is the orchestra in residence at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The Orchestra performs regularly as parat of the NCPA’s full programme of high-quality opera and ballet concerts.

The NCPA is composed of a team of highly skilled musicians from a number of countries and cultural backgrounds, the vast majority of whom have experience working and studying overseas in Europe and North America. 

The orchestra’s refined set of technical skills and musical finesse have impressed many well-renowned international artists such as Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Placido Domingo, Leo Nucci, Lang Lang, Stephen Kovacevich, Rudolph Buchbinder, Yuja Wang, and Han-Na Chang. 

Maestro Lorin Maazel has worked with the orchestra in several operas and concerts, and insists that they are “an excellent, hard-working orchestra with great passion.” The orchestra’s European debut in Kissinger Sommer Festival in July 2012 was highly praised by local media with a review in the Mainpost describing it as “not only precise but also full of ideas, with exhilarating liveliness”.

The NCPA Orchestra of China performed a collection of carefully selected masterpieces for their Sydney premiere, including numbers performed by violinist Mr. Feng Ning, the first prize recipient of the Paganini Competition in 2006 and a regular guest artist performing alongside top conductors, orchestras and arts festivals around the world.  Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” also featured in the second half of the concert.

This was a truly unique opportunity for Sydney’s residents to experience an exquisite music performance while appreciating the top-tier skills and artistry of the NCPA Orchestra.                           

The Beauty of Chinese Characters - Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition

“The Beauty of Chinese Characters” Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition was held in Sydney on July 3, 2012 as part of Australia’s “Year of Chinese Culture”, providing Australians with the valuable opportunity to better understand Chinese calligraphy while promoting authentic cultural exchange between China and Australia.

“Byobu“ featured at this year’s Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition as a new and exciting way to communicate the origins and evolution of Chinese calligraphy through text and images, including explanations of the civilizations and historical context behind Chinese calligraphy alongside character patterns and their literal meaning. The exhibition also featured more recent calligraphic works that were created by sixty contemporary Chinese calligraphers, including antithetical couplets, central scrolls, circular fans, horizontal scrolls, seal carvings, lettering in the form of regular script, running hand, grass writing, clerical script, seal script and doufang (sheets about one foot square with inscriptions that are adhered to the walls).

Works featured in this exhibition mainly consisted of ancient poetic prose and essays that showed the rich undertones of China’s long-standing culture. Some of the pieces even spoke to our universal longing for world peace and the importance of maintaining a harmonious relationship between humankind and nature.

“Chinese calligraphy” and “Chinese seal carving” were officially classified as important parts of China’s intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in September 2009. Chinese calligraphy is a unique form of art that developed from the Chinese character writing process over the course of thousands of years. A calligraphy brush, ink and paper are all essential tools for any piece of Chinese calligraphy. Calligraphy isn’t just used as a means for communicating information, it also fulfills the essential role of reflecting specific philosophies and the core values that inform Chinese culture as well as giving expression to the essence of our human spirit, dignity, emotion, and uniquely human characteristics. Calligraphy is even widely recognised as a representative symbol of traditional Chinese culture and heritage throughout the world.

The Gala Night of Dynamic Chengdu

Discover the rich culture and customs of Chengdu as visiting international performers from this region treat Sydney to a spectacular showcase of dancing, singing, and “face changing” masks alongside a colourful collection of traditional costumes to celebrate the Chinese New Year at Sydney’s Town Hall.

With “love” as their overarching theme for this performance, members of the Han, Tibetan, Qiang, and Yi ethnic groups present their earnest thanks to nature and the land of abundance known as their hometown, Chengdu in a fast-paced showcase that will stay with the audience long after they have left their seats. The Gala Night of Dynamic Chengdu features a spectacular line up of Chengdu folk culture and regional specialties, including magnificent scenery, wedding traditions, long-sleeved Tibetan dances, mermaids and more, this is an action packed evening that will have you captivated as the vibrant traditions of Western China’s unique culture unfold before your eyes in this one-off evening of Gala festivities held in central Sydney.

Chinese Folk Orchestra Concert

Experience the magical notes and supreme artistry of the China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra (CBCO) led by internationally renowned Conductor Mr. Pang Kapang as they showcase a marvelous Chinese Folk Orchestra Concert for their premiere performance at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Thursday the 2nd of December.

The CBCO is performing a collection of audience favourites composed by Peng Xiuwen and Guo Wenjing alongside a unique piece commissioned to the ensemble by composer Tan Dun.

Founded in 1953, the CBCO is a top-tier, nationally recognised orchestra that boasts a long history of notable achievements. Having already toured in over seventy countries, this December will mark the Orchestra’s first tour to Australia as they prepare to deliver a phenomal eighty-nine pieced performance, including more than thirty traditional Chinese instruments.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Sydney audiences to witness the intriguing instruments and sounds of China that are not normally heard in Western music. The spectacular calibre of the CBCO’s talent is complemented by the brilliant venue of the Sydney Opera House,” says Robert Feng, Managing Director of Ausfeng.

“The talented CBCO is led by celebrated conductor, Pang Kapang, who took over artistic direction of the Orchestra in 1998. Under his lead, one can only expect the Chinese Folk Orchestra Concert to be an impressive evening of colourful entertainment,” continued Feng.

Working alongside renowned conductor and composer, Peng Xiuwen, the Orchestra developed its own framework based on a collection of bow and string instruments, plucked instruments, wind instruments and percussion instruments.

Over the last fifty years, the Orchestra has performed and recorded soundtracks for multiple movies, TV series, broadcasts, and music albums, many of which are widely celebrated throughout China’s music industry. The CBCO has also collaborated with distinguished artists and conductors such as Liu Mingyuan, Hu Haiquan, Zhang Lie, Jiang Kemei, and Zhang Shao among others.

In addition to his role as Artistic Director & Chief Conductor of the CBCO that he has undertaken since 1998, Pang Kapang is also an ward winning conductor who has been invited to work as a guest conductor for orchestras around the world. He has led tours in many countries including Thailand, Germany and Hong Kong.Kapang has also conducted the orchestra in two concerts at the Golden Hall in Vienna and Austria, and has even led the Orchestra in Geneva and the Assembly Hall of the United Nations.

The program for this year’s concert is as follows:

• A Wa Mountain Composed by Guo Wenjing

• Flowing Water Composed by Peng Xiuwen

• Terra-catta WarriorsComposed by Peng Xiuwen

  Interval

• The Northwest Suite  Composed by Tan Dun

• I. May Heaven Send the Rain

• II. Celebration at Wedding Chamber

• III. Thing of my lover

• IV. Hip Drums of Stone Blades

• Hua Bangzi (banhu & orchestra) Arranged by Liu Yuan

• Banhu Soloist: Jiang Kemei

• Dragon Dancing Composed by Xu Changjun

Duration: 120 minutes incl. 20 mins interval

Venue: Sydney Opera House Concert Hall 

Date: Thursday 2 December 2010

Time: 8:00pm

Miss China Cosmos Pageant 2010

The Final Competition for the 2010 Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant has been held in the Oceana Region as a Charity evening in Sydney’s State Theatre at 7.30pm on 13 August 2010.

Fifteen elegant contestants and Phoenix TV’s famous host Mr Hu Yihu will showcase “the Beauty of Love”. In addition to a variety of wonderful performances from the candidates, an exciting line up of guests have also been invited to the show, including prestigious modern dancer performers, famous singers, and the NSW Black Geese Dance Troupe.

All revenue from ticket sales for this event will be donated to the relief cause for the disaster stricken areas once venue hire and promotion costs have been deducted.

AFFA will accept the money in the form of checks donated from all relevant organizations, agencies and individuals, then hand these in to the Chinese Consulate-General in Australia or Australia Red Cross.

Special thanks will be given to the all of the donating unions, companies and individuals for their kind contributions. This event can be regarded as the only charity event that has been organised to take place in Oceania for the flood-stricken areas. Taking this into account, all and any support is earnestly appreciated. We will send donations to the affected areas in a timely manner and extend our love and care from Australian to those in the disaster zones while passing on our sincerest hopes that they make it through these times of difficulty.

Mulan Acrobatic Show — Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe of China

Featuring breathtaking acrobatics, dynamic dance displays and mixed martial arts, the legend of Hua Mulan is about to grace the stage at Sydney’s State Theatre on Saturday the 20th of February in two breathtaking performances brought to life by China’s world-class visiting artists the Chongqing Acrobatic Arts Troupe.

Originating from an ancient Chinese myth, this acrobatic rendition of the renowned Hua Mulan legend tells the story of a young girl named Hua Mulan who joins the army in place of her ill father. The story was even adapted as one of Walt Disney’s major animated feature films back in 1998, delighting movie audiences around the world. Through a stunning combination of daring acrobatics, divine dance numbers and refined artistic set design, this dynamic stage show features high-energy combat scenes and poignant moments that come together to paint Hua Mulan’s fascinating journey. The story of Hua Mulan gives expression to the sense of responsibility and obligation one feels to protect their nation. Performers’ stunning acrobatic skills and expressive interactions breathe life into the daring character of our main heroine, Hua Mula.

Over forty professional acrobatic performers, dancers and martial arts athletes from the Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe will take to the stage, including 17 adolescent performers, the youngest of who is only 11 years old. The Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe has received multiple awards and recognition both in China and overseas for their stunning performances over the years. The troupe has toured internationally several times, during which time they visited over eighty different countries and over four hundred cities, allowing them to make a name for themselves among international audiences all over the world.

Split into five acts, the Hua Mulan acrobatic show is a large-scale stage production that takes viewers on an immersive, multimodal narrative journey.

The performance will be broken up as follows:

• Act One: Lantern Festival Night
  Act Two: Joining Army for Father

• Act Three: Struggling against Bandits

• Act Four: Falling in Love at a Moonlit Night

• Act Five: Warriors Coming in Triumph.

Compared to other acrobatic performances, this show is visually refreshing and has made an outstanding breakthrough with its collection of ambitious acrobatic techniques.

Oriental Jasmine Blossoming in Sydney

The glamorous ninety-minute spectacular “Oriental Jasmine Blossoming in Sydney” was brought to life by traditional Chinese instruments in a refined performance by the China Oriental Jasmine Girl’s Band at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on September 24th 2009 in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Chinese National Day.

The COJGB was formed in the Sichuan Province and is one of China's most dynamic and highly acclaimed music ensembles. Consisting of 22 professional female artists, fourteen musicians, six dancers, one vocal performer, and one magician, the COJG performed in Australia at Sydney Opera House for the first time ever this year.

Each of these talented artists can play more than one instrument, including the Gu Zheng (ancient Chinese zither equipped with movable bridges and 16-25 strings), the Pipa (four-stringed lute with apear shaped body), the Yang Qin (Chinese hammered dulcimer with a square-shaped soundboard), he Erhu (two-stringed Chinese violin) and the Dizi (bamboo flute).

This multimodal concert blends Chinese folk instruments with exciting dancing numbers, vocal performance, and dynamic mask tricks complemented by the distinctive undertones of traditional Chinese folk culture and extravagant costumes.

The concert also featured a selection of traditional Chinese folk instruments such as the Kou-Xuan and Jiang-Di as well as instruments of a more western repertoire, including the saxophone and violin. All of the above came together in a refined and harmonious synthesis that allowed the audience to experience traditional Chinese music in ways like never before as it was artfully interwoven with selected elements from modern pop, rock, and jazz aesthetics.

Australia China Yunnan Cultural Festival: Colourful Yunnan Charming Kunming —Tales of Shangri-La

“Colourful Yunnan Charming Kunming—Tales of Shangri-La” was held at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Saturday the 8th of March, 2008, delivering a captivating combination of dramatic dance numbers, glamorous costumes, and ethereal vocal performance.  This vibrant spectacle encompasses a refined blend of traditional Chinese folk art and modern music, much of which is inspired by the paradisaical village of Shangri-La that is hidden amongst China’s southwest mountain ranges.

Filled with 150 minutes of traditional dance and folk songs originating from the diverse communities and ethnic minority groups living in China’s Yunnan Province, “Colourful Yunnan Charming Kunming—Tales of Shangri-La” is a riveting theatrical experience that blends the unique cultures of twenty-six different ethnic minority groups from Yunnan into an unforgettable visual feast brought to life by an exciting cast of well renowned and highly acclaimed Chinese performing artists, including Na Ying, Tang Can, Jiang Yuheng, Li Yong, Liu Xin, Yang Bo and Li Kongzheng, and Xiong Rulin, winner of the ”National Young Singer” contest broadcast on CCTV.

Rhythms of The Orient performed by the Beijing Youth Dance Troupe

The Beijing Youth Dance Troupe performed their spectacular theatrical show “Rhythms of the Orient” on the 10th of February 2007 to mark the opening of Australia’s Chinese New Year Celebrations as we prepare to welcome the Year of Pig.

Performed by 35 international award-winning dance artists from China, this glamorous showcase held at Sydney’s State Theatre left audiences in awe of the troupe’s magnificent abilities and stage presence as they performed a captivating collection of contemporary, classical and traditional Chinese dances. This mesmerising concert demonstrated a unique fusion of modern and traditional Chinese dance inspired by China’s rich cultural history, art, geographical features, and diverse folk culture.

The Beijing Youth Dance Troupe is a highly respected creative performance group established in 1987 that has since earned notable accolades at both national and international levels. The Beijing Youth Dance Troupe is a prestigious and promising division of the Beijing Dance Academy that is proud to include an outstanding team of talented dance professionals, academics, and researchers that allows them to promote the popularisation of dance culture throughout China and the international performing arts sector.

With a fresh approach to theatrical performance, impressive teamwork, and a distinctive refined style, the Beijing Youth Dance Troupe has earned recognition both domestically and abroad. Many of the troupe’s members are recipients of first-place awards in prestigious national dance competitions, such as the Lotus Cup, the Peaches & Plums Cup, and the China Centre TV Station (CCTV) Dance Contest. The troupe has also toured overseas to the United States, France, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Canada, Spain, Japan, South Korea and North Korea.

Official website of the Beijing Youth Dance Troupe: http://www.bda.edu.cn/yxjs/qnwt/index.htm

The China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe "My Dream" Tour to Australia 2005

The China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe toured across Australia from Sept 23rd to Oct 8th, 2005. Their spectacular performances in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, and Perth featured an enticing array of traditional Chinese dance & vocal numbers accompanied by Chinese folk instruments, stunning visuals and spectacular costumes. Their captivating performance of “My Dream” also showcased a breathtaking rendition of the “Thousand Hand Bodhisattva”, also known as The Dance of 1000 Hands, performed by a chorus of hearing-impaired movement artists.

First founded as a self-funded arts company in 1987, the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe has since become one of the core pillars of Chinese art and culture with a total of over 40 members ranging in age from 18–43, each of whom possess some form of hearing, visual, or physical disability. These true professionals display a diverse range of artistic skills that allow them to share their graceful spirits and vitality through their craft. Warmly embraced wherever they perform, the troupe performs unique cultural pieces that never fail to entice audiences of all ages and cultural backgrounds.  

Over the past 18 years, The China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe has performed in many provinces throughout China, and has even traveled to over 40 different countries including Poland, Denmark, Malaysia, UK, Kuala Lumpur, US, Japan, and now Australia. They have performed to thousands of people in the world’s most renowned concert venues, such as their full house performance at Carnegie Hall, the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, and La Scala.

Presented by: Ausfeng in association with the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia and the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney

An Evening of Tibetan Song & Dance by Ya Long Art Troupe of Tibet

The Chinese Ethnic Art Troupe brought a vibrant performance to the stage at Canberra Theatre on Saturday the 12th of February, 2005, showcasing a captivating combination of traditional music and enchanting movement. The Chinese Ethnic Art Troupe belongs to the Ya Long Art Troupe of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, also known as "the roof of the world" due to its notably high altitude.

Established in 1980, the Troupe is a widely recognised performing arts troupe from China that specialises in showcasing traditional Chinese opera, folk song, dance, art, and instrumental music. Their members mostly consist of artists and graduates from colleges or technical secondary schools throughout China. With rich experience competing in a number of major local arts competitions and performance tours, they are widely recognised as mature and talented members of the performing arts sector at the prime of their performance careers.

Thanks to their unwavering team spirit and commitment to mastering their artistic skills, the troupe has also earned multiple gold, silver, bronze, and “Lotus” awards at many major arts competitions and national events throughout China. They were even named most “Outstanding Cultural Troupe of the Nation” by China’s Ministry of Culture.

Driven by the pursuit of perfection and high artistic standards, the Troupe has gradually developed an impressive repertoire and unique artistic style of its own over the past 24 years, as was shown during their international tours of Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and other countries.

In more recent years, the Troupe has committed itself to the creation of high-quality artistic performances that allow them to reflect the reality of contemporary times. They undergo meticulous design and choreography alongside exquisite production processes while incorporating fresh and exciting song & dance opera pieces such as the all time audience favourite “Qonggyai Dawa Drolma”, for which they were awarded a national prize.

The People’s Liberation Army Song & Dance Ensemble in Concert

The internationally renowned Mr. Zhang Jigang (choreographer of the vibrant dance drama “Wild Zebra”) directed this brilliant performance featuring 60 artists from the People’s Liberation Army Song & Dance Ensemble of China who brought a colourful performance to the stage in the Concert Hall at Sydney Opera House on October 4, 2004. Popular songs and Chinese folk instruments were showcased in combination with modern theatrical elements and traditional folk dance throughout the performance, which included a stunning selection of contemporary Chinese numbers and classical favourites.

Presented by

Oz-sino Association for Advancement of Culture, Science & Technology

in association with

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia | The Consulate-General of People’s Republic of China in Sydney | The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

Produced by

Ausfeng Group Pty Ltd

Media Partners

Sing Tao Daily | Chinatown.com

The Beijing Red Poppy Ladies' Percussion Ensemble in Concert

Presented by China’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Oz-Sino Association and SingTao Daily, China’s very first all-female percussion group the Beijing Red Poppy Ladies’ Percussion Ensemble performed an exhilarating concert at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on February 15th, 2004.

This vivacious ensemble of more than forty Chinese and Western instruments was brought to the stage by a group of talented young percussionists who performed a spectacular showcase for their Australian audience. Their performance artfully wove traditional Chinese music with contemporary percussive elements, appealing to a modern audience while staying true to their cultural roots.

The ensemble created an exciting and enriching atmosphere through their unique use of background music and high-level technicality. The concert fully demonstrated their skillset as an internationally renowned percussion group and showcased the reputation they have earned for themselves through their elegant style of instrumental performance that is particularly well suited to the stage.

Since its initial establishment, the ensemble has travelled worldwide and performed in over 400 concerts throughout Canada, the USA, Britain, Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong. It’s no wonder that the sound of applause follows them wherever they play. The ensemble’s Sydney debut also coincided with Sydney’s celebrations for the 2004 Chinese Spring Festival. What better way to welcome the lunar new year!