20 August 2019
This week, the first opera production and management talent training course in China, namely, the Shanghai Theatre Academy Xuzhong Opera Art Studio Opera Production and Management Talent Training Summer Program 2019, was held in the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA). Coming from Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and other places, a total of 30 trainees from the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Opera House, Oriental Art Center, Shanghai Concert Hall, Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts and other literary and art groups and enterprises, and also including some teachers and students of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, participated in the training. In a short week, Xu Zhong, President of the Shanghai Opera House, the initiator of the Shanghai Theatre Academy Xuzhong Opera Art Studio, Li Ruixiang, Vice President of the Shanghai Opera House, Qian Shijin, the first artistic director of the Shanghai Grand Theater and visiting professor of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Chen Guangxian, Chairman of the Chinese Symphony Development Foundation and President of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Tseng Sun-man, the first Chinese executive director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Liao Yi, General Manager of the Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts, and Li Genshi, Stage Manager of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, were invited to conduct lectures, workshops, on-site teaching and a rich program of other teaching and training activities.
Huang Changyong, President of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, said at the opening ceremony that although the Shanghai Theatre Academy had made some attempts in theatre management, troupe management and production management, opera production and management had their own particularities, and that being able to cooperate with President Xu Zhong on this occasion and receive the support of the Shanghai Government Funds for Promoting the Development of Cultural and Creative industries was of a great significance to the future development of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and to the opera cause and opera talent training in China.
Xu Zhong, President of the Shanghai Opera House, said that Shanghai, as an international metropolis, should orient its opera development to Chinese original opera and Chinese national opera. He hoped that through the Shanghai Theatre Academy Xuzhong Opera Art Studio would be able to cultivate a group of producers who not only can connect with the world, but also are down to earth, genuine, and passionate about opera, and are capable of market operation.
The Shanghai Theatre Academy Xu Zhong Opera Art Studio was co-founded by President Xu Zhong and the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 2018. It has received the funding support of the Shanghai Government Funds for Promoting the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries. Besides talent training, it also trains opera production and management professionals by way of hands-on practice in international projects. On the 25th of next month, the Shanghai Theatre Academy Xuzhong Opera Art Studio will produce and present a new concert version of the opera “Don Giovanni”. All technical team, directing team and management team of this project will be assumed by project members of the Studio and teachers and students of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, who will lead the completion of all creative, design, production and rehearsal work. The Shanghai Theatre Academy will invite Cormac Simms, Administrative Director of the Royal Opera House, UK to be the executive producer. At the same time, a team of mentors from Italy, Germany, Australia and Hong Kong SAR will come to the Shanghai Theatre Academy to provide guidance and conduct a series of lectures and workshops.
