Shenzhen's "Carmen" makes dazzling debut, builds cultural bridge with Germany

SHENZHEN, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- When a classic Western opera and traditional Chinese culture merged in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen this past weekend, a captivating fusion unfolded on a Guangdong Province stage.

On Saturday and Sunday evening, the Shenzhen version of "Carmen," a collaboration between Chinese and German creators, showcased the talents of leading actors and exceptional artists from diverse global backgrounds at the Shenzhen Poly Theater.

"Carmen," revered as one of the world's most performed and beloved operas, has etched its story into the hearts of countless audiences.

Co-produced by Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre and the German National Hamburg State Opera, the Shenzhen adaptation retained the essence of the original while boldly innovating with the use of local elements in terms of character portrayal, storyline development, stage design, and costumes.

"Through the medium of opera, we aim to construct a bridge of cultural and artistic exchange between Shenzhen and Hamburg," said Georges Delnon, artistic director of the Shenzhen version of "Carmen."

Shenzhen is embarking on a quest to gradually produce a series of high-quality operas on its own soil. These operas will no longer be mere imported productions, but rather unique, Shenzhen-inspired versions that incorporate local cultural elements, he said.

Shenzhen, an international, innovative city brimming with charm, dynamism, and vitality, offers an unparalleled stage for the creation and performance of top-tier international opera.

This rendition of "Carmen" marks not only Shenzhen's debut in co-producing and participating in a full-length opera production with a leading international opera house but also its first-ever deep collaboration with a world-renowned opera institution steeped in history, said the theater in a press release.

This international partnership, a joint effort to continue the legend of "Carmen," aligns with the global context of advanced cultural development and provides a favorable opportunity for cultural exchange and artistic enrichment between the two nations, it added.

According to the theater, the opera is expected to be presented in Beijing and other cities in the future.