AsiaNet 200598

XI'AN, China, Dec. 6, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

Ice and snow intertwine with flames, while light and shadow blend with music on a stage at the foot of Lishan Mountain in northwest China's Xi'an City. On Dec. 1, a large-scale live historical drama called the ice-fire "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow," produced by the Huaqing Palace scenic spot, started performance against the backdrop of mountains and waters at the historical site.

Rolled out in 2021, the ice-fire "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow" is the upgraded version of the traditional production. By innovating stage design, choreography, high-tech application, a new interpretation has been achieved on stage art setting.

The performance has transformed the seasonal disadvantage of winter tourism in Xi'an into a distinctive experiential attraction, achieving a breakthrough in outdoor live performances during winter in north China.

Based on the narrative poem by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi, the dance drama revolves around the love story of Emperor Tang Xuanzong (618-907) and his consort Yang Guifei, recreating the moving chapters of the poem.

The Tang Dynasty, as a prosperous era in Chinese history, exerted a profound cultural influence across Asia and Europe through the Silk Road. Today, the 70-minute dance drama ingeniously combines historical narratives, stage performances, and audio-visual effects, impressing the audience with the Tang Dynasty's splendid atmosphere.

Since its debut in 2006, the dance drama has been performed over 5,300 times and attracted approximately 10 million visitors.

Conducting in-depth exploration and innovating forms, the dance drama constantly refreshes itself to stay relevant.

This year, the spot has recruited a group of Central Asia actors, making the performance in line with the Tang Dynasty society's openness, inclusiveness and multiculturalism and enhancing the performance's artistic expression and international influence.

The Huaqing Palace scenic spot, an iconic tourism destination showcasing Tang culture, in recent years has been integrating culture and tourism, and developed many outstanding productions, making the area a signature tourism project in Shaanxi Province.

"We will continue to leverage the Tang culture's profound artistic charm and deepen culture-tourism integration, and use the performing arts to facilitate global culture communication," said Gao Jie, chairman of Shaanxi Huaqing Palace Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd.

Source: The Huaqing Palace scenic spot