Golden Jazz takes opera and Zhuhai tunes to Texas

"A stunning musical fusion between a 600-year-old form of Chinese opera and free-form jazz" will be staged on Oct 13 at 7:30 pm at Texas Hall, the University of Texas Arlington has announced.

Golden Jazz's Chinese and western cultural exchange project is a fusion of Chinese opera music and jazz, bringing even Zhuhai's On-Water Wedding songs to an American and then a world audience. It is listed as one of five major cultural projects by the Department of Culture of Guangdong Province and was submitted to the Ministry of Culture as a candidate for 2018 key projects on Belt & Road Initiative cultural trade.

The group's first performance was staged at Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre in Shizimen on May 26, attracting interest from music lovers, professionals, and overseas media and musicians.  

Traditional Chinese opera

Since its inception in March 2016, Zhuhai Golden Jazz Cultural Industry Management has brought together leading musicians to recompose traditional Peking, Shaanxi, Wuju, and Cantonese operas. Included is Doumen District's On-Water Wedding, itself a blend of Shatian Folk Songs of Guangfu, Hakka, and Dan Clan practices. As a result, an inclusive and innovative music form has been created relying on professional insights and modern techniques.

Setting off from China, Golden Jazz, comprised of both Chinese and western musicians, is showcasing its achievements to the world. They share Chinese culture and enrich it with the musical elements and cultures of countries along the Belt & Road. The intent is to help more people learn about Chinese music and operas in the process of spreading jazz culture, according to a spokesperson. 

Modern jazz [Photos courtesy Xiangzhou District official WeChat]

The concert and academic symposium on Chinese opera and jazz will have discussions on how to create refreshing songs by blending music forms. It is promoted on the UTA website, https://events.uta.edu/event/crossing_chinese_opera_with_jazz#.Wd-bttNSxPa, with a video.