On October 24, the wives of the ambassadors of Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, and Nicaragua among others visited the century-old Yisu Theater in Xi'an's Xincheng District, where they were treated to the melodies of Qinqiang opera and became witnesses to the music and culture of the ancient Silk Road and the living history of Shaanxi Province.
The ambassadors' wives pose for a group picture with the artists of Yisu Theater
During their visit to the Yisu Grand Theater Museum, Yisu Theater Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall, and Shaanxi Opera Art Museum of China, the ambassadors' wives were introduced to traditional opera production techniques and given an opportunity to get better acquainted with intangible cultural heritage items such as opera masks, paper-cutting techniques, shadow plays, and percussion music of Qinqiang opera, gaining insight into the evolution of Yisu Theater, China's traditional opera culture and spiritual outlook on life, the development of civilization in different historical periods, and the specific contributions of Qinqiang opera to the wider artform.
Ambassadors' wives at the Yisu Grand Theater Museum
Ambassadors' wives at the Shaanxi Opera Art Museum of China
Ambassadors' wives try their hands at the shadow puppets
After an enthralling performance at the Yisu Theater, the ambassadors' wives were invited backstage, where the opera performers taught them some of the melodies that had just been performed and introduced the guests to the stage, giving them a chance to participate and experience the charm of Qinqiang opera firsthand. "This is my first time wearing a Qinqiang opera costume, and I must say it is absolutely exquisite," said Kwartemaa Akua Hammond, the wife of Ghana's ambassador to China after the visit.
The wife of the Ghanaian Ambassador, Kwartemaa Akua Hammond, sharing her impressions
Xi'an's Xincheng District has been particularly progressive in embracing the new era of development, establishing the Yisu Theater Cultural District, a hub for the integration of culture and tourism centered around Qinqiang opera and Yisu Theater, and pioneering its own unique brand of museum exhibitions, Qinqiang opera art exhibitions and performances, cultural exchanges between Chinese and international operas, and preservation of intangible cultural heritage. Currently, the Yisu Theater Cultural District has become a notable landmark for local residents as well as tourists and has also served as a new region for cultural heritage preservation.
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