Dr. Sun Yat Sen - opera. Review.

Last night I went to see the brand new opera Dr. Sun Yat Sen in Hong Kong Cultural Center (Grand Stage). I truly believe that this is one of the ugliest buildings in Hong Kong, but inside it's quite nice.

This year it is 100 years since the Xinhai Revolution (辛亥革命) - the one that completely changed the history of China. It overthrowned the last Chinese dynasty (Qing) and established the Republic of china.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen was the leader of the revolution, so this year he is a sort of Chinese celebrity - his name is in every magazine, his face is on every wall.

About the opera itself.

It was produced by the Opera of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.


The libretto. 
The scenario is about the very special wedding gift Dr. Sun received on his wedding day with his friend's daughter. The libretto is OK. I bit too simplified for my taste, but this I can handle.

The music. 
This is a really interesting part. The piece has two musical scripts - one for the western orchestra, one for the Chinese orchestra (the orchestra composed of traditional Chinese musical instruments). The version I've heard was for the Chinese orchestra. I think the orchestra was very professional, but the music was just SO BAD. I think the author thought he can do both Mozart, Rahmaninov and Chinese folk music and this can work out. NO IT CAN'T. I think you have to be a real master to deal with disharmony. Dear Huang Ruo, don't play with the music. It sounded sooo bad. 

The singing.
This was really weird. Classical belcanto (very, very nicely performed. I loved the singers!) + it was in Mandarin (sounded very unusual) + bad music, performed by a Chinese orchestra. It wasn't unbearable, but in wasn't good either. No likeee.

The direction.
This was weird as well. They made really western interludes, in English, absolute Stanislavsky method, but all the acts were in, I think, traditional Chinese technique - when all the actors motions are hugely exaggerated. Also, all the actors looked like they are Chinese playing foreigners.

My conclusion:
I'm either too old for that or to dumb for that, but it didn't touch me at all. In the end, may be I just don't like fusion at all.