Themodern drama Protagonist,the newly-minted winner of Wenhua Grand Award, a top accolade for professionalstage productions in China, was staged at the Grand Theatre of Suzhou Cultureand Arts Centre (SZCAC) in SIP on Sept 29 and 30.Adaptedfrom Chinese dramatist and novelist Chen Yan’s novel of the same name, andproduced by Shaanxi People’s Art Theatre (SPAT), the 210-minute performance isa feast... [MORE]   A work with profound insights into life, times and society In addition to a strong literary foundation, Protagonistis widely known for its formidable crew and cast.It is directed by famous Chinese director Hu Zongqing, with scriptby Cao Lusheng, a professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy, stage art design by NaShufeng and Liang Hongjian, lighting design by Hu Huaqing, costume design byTao Lei, and music composed by Shi Yicen. And it gathered SPAT’s artists ... [MORE] Ingenious stage design to transcend time and space Atotal of 53 scenes are used in the performance in order to portray the protagonist’sexperiences over a period of 40 years. Thestage design is ingenious, especially the use of 16 movable columns to reflectthe changes of moods of the protagonist, and the simple space design that isoften seen in traditional Chinese opera performances.A bus sign represents a bus stop, and a sofa represents a room. T... [MORE] A minute on the stage takes two-year practice Inorder to give the best performances, the SPAT performers spent two yearsstudying Qinqiang opera. In the process, they participated in the training likeprofessional Qinqiang performers to practice various movements, postureexpressions and singing. Their hard work has paid off, since their performances have wonhigh acclaim from the audiences, peers and critics.  [MORE]