BEIJING: The large-scale Chinese dance drama "Odes to Heroes," created and performed by Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre, was staged three times at the Grand Theatre of the Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre in Kuala Lumpur from September 25 to 26, concluding its Malaysia run.
Three qiaopi — letters sent home by overseas Chinese, often accompanied by remittances — connect those who left home with their families, while a pair of Yingge mallets links two generations. Chao Opera, Chaozhou woodcarving, Chaozhou embroidery and oil-paper lanterns are woven into the story, while Teochew rap and multimedia effects bring traditional cultural elements to the contemporary stage.
The theatre was packed, with prolonged applause following the performances.
Tan Chai Puan, one of the co-founders of Malaysia's 24 Festive Drums, said: "I thought I would see only those familiar formations and the commanding energy created by the fusion of martial arts and dance. What I did not expect was that beneath the heroism of this dance drama lay such a tender emotional undercurrent."
A visitor named Huang, who travelled from Seremban in Negeri Sembilan to watch the performance, said his ancestors had journeyed south in search of a livelihood and later lost contact with their relatives in China, "but that sense of being connected by blood has always remained."
This year marks the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. With centuries of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the two countries share close ties. "Odes to Heroes" brings the traditions and stories of Lingnan to Malaysian audiences through dance, highlighting the shared cultural memories and emotional bonds between the two peoples.
Following its performances in Singapore and Malaysia, the company has departed for Bangkok, Thailand, for the next stop on its tour. - Report from China.org.cn
