A traditional opera unique to east China's Fujian Province, Min Opera, for the first time was accompanied by modern instruments at a concert and won much applause from the audience.
Many Chinese musicians have been trying to add modern musical elements into traditional local operas, said Cao Cheng, conductor of the concert.
For example, wind instruments create vivid effects in the opera "Zhi Qu Wei Hu Shan", and "Liang Zhu", an opera based on a traditional Chinese love story, is regarded as a masterpiece of combining traditional and modern music, Cao said.
However, this is the first test for Min Opera and with the original singing style preserved, modern musical techniques and instruments can make the performance more catching, with the help of harmony, accompanying singing, piano and violin, Cao said.
The concert is held to commemorate the centennial birthday of famous Min Opera performer Zheng Yi, and was sponsored by the provincial cultural department, the Fujian Opera Theater and the provincial experimental theater of Min Opera.
(People's Daily April 12, 2003)
