BEIJING, Aug. 26 -- Thirty-seven performing troupes
from across Asia will gather next month at a grand festival in Zhengzhou,
capital of central China's Henan province, to provide their distinctive forms of
entertainment for locals and tourists from home and abroad.
The 10th Asian Art Festival is sponsored by the
Ministry of Culture and the Henan provincial government and organized by the
Henan Culture Bureau, the Zhengzhou city government and Kaifeng city government.
It will be held in Zhengzhou and the neighboring city of Kaifeng from September
26 to October 8.
 |
|
Shaolin in the Wind by Zhengzhou Song
and Dance Troupe (Photo Source: China Daily) Photo
Gallery>>> |
Zhengzhou,
the main venue, will host the opening ceremony and most of the events.
Troupes from about 20 countries and regions,
including South Korea, India, Japan, North Korea, Syria, Kirghizstan, Singapore,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Pakistan, Cambodia,
Turkey, Israel, Myanmar and Mongolia, as well as those from the Chinese
mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, will participate.
Five cultural ministers and 20 diplomats from
participating countries will also attend.
The festival will include five types of events -
performances, movies, mass cultural activities, exhibitions and a trade fair.
An opening evening party called "Harmonious Asia"
will be staged in Zhengzhou on September 26, featuring songs and dances of the
various Asian countries and regions.
Troupes will present nearly 100 performances
including songs, dances, operas, dramas and concerts.
Chinese delegations will perform local operas
including Yuju (Henan Opera), Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera.
The closing evening party - called "Meeting in Henan"
- will be held in Kaifeng.
 |
|
Pulcinella by the Israeli Modern Dance
Company (Photo Source: China Daily) Photo
Gallery>>> |
The event's Asian Movie Festival will show about 50
films produced in Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Israel and Syria, screened at
cinemas, squares, schools and communities in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng. Organizers
say it is a rare opportunity for audiences to see films with different cultural
backgrounds - the Chinese industry is dominated by domestically produced films
and those imported from the United States.
A parade with floats and a tour of theme parks will
offer additional public entertainment and recreation.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to see the
historic Henan cultural relics. The central province in China is considered the
cradle of Chinese civilization and has the largest number of unearthed ancient
sites in the country.
Thirty-seven foreign embassies in China will show
their art collections at an exhibition in Zhengzhou from September 27 to October
8.
Artists from all over Asia will also display their
drawings and sculptures at various exhibitions.
The Asian Art Festival is one of the largest
international art events in China. Since Beijing hosted the first art festival
in 1998, nine sessions have followed in cities including Hangzhou in Zhejiang,
Changchun in Jilin, Foshan in Guangdong and Nantong in Jiangsu.
A total of 141 art delegations from 30 Asian
countries and regions have displayed various art forms at festivals over the
past 10 years to an audience of nearly 10 million people.
This year is the first time the event to be held in
the central region of China.
Organizers expect the event will showcase Henan's
brilliant civilization and cultural progress and promote exchanges with Asian
countries and regions.
(Source: China Daily)
Ancient city still vibrant today
BEIJING, Aug. 26 -- As the 10th Asian Art Festival will open on September 26 in Zhengzhou, local authorities expect it to also show the city's brilliant civilization and recent advancements in culture and other social and economic fields.
Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province in the center of the country, covers 7,446 sq km and has a population of 7.36 million people. Full story |