Festival returns Yi culture to its origins
With an authentic play, folk songs and farm dances, ethnic group teaches global audiences of deep traditions, reports Cheng Yuezhu.
Apart from its three performances from Nov 8 to 10, Star Returning was performed at the 25th Carthage Theater Days in Tunis, Tunisia, from Nov 23 to 30. According to the Daliangshan festival committee, the production will attend European theater festivals and go on a European tour from May 2025.
Until Nov 19, the Sixth Daliangshan Theater Festival staged around 100 theater productions from 11 countries, featuring traditional performing arts exchanges and theater master classes.
An exchange event on Nov 10 showcased traditional performing arts from China and members of the League of Arab States including Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Iraq and Sudan. Chinese artists demonstrated traditional opera forms such as Kunqu, Peking and Yuju operas.
On Nov 11, a panel discussion themed on "theater connecting the world" gathered theater artists from over 20 countries joined by the festival's co-initiators, including veteran actor Pu Cunxin, playwright Li Ting, poet Jidi Majia, Tobias Biancone and veteran director Wang Xiaoying.
"From the festival's initial planning stages, we had two main directions. First, it would be firmly rooted in the region's rich ethnic culture, drawing strength from its deep cultural heritage and people. The other would maintain an outward-looking approach, being open and inclusive," Wang says.
The festival has connected with international theaters and expanded its global presence while remaining true to its roots in ethnic culture, hosting panel discussions, creating an opening show featuring international collaboration and introducing an increasing number of foreign theater productions.
