Actors perform Marco Polo on stage. [Photo/fjsen.com]

The Quanzhou Grand Theater, a cultural landmark in the city, opened at the end of June. An original opera entitled Marco Polo became the first performance to be shown at the venue and was well-received among audiences.

Italian emissary Marco Polo set off from Quanzhou and started his return trip on the Maritime Silk Road 700 years ago. The opera recounts the culture and trade exchanges between the East and West during that time.

Marco Polo is the result of hard work from a talented team of artists, including Caspar Holten, former opera director of the the Royal Opera House in London, Enyot Schneider, president of the German Composers Association, Wei Jin, one of the most influential poets in contemporary Chinese poetry, Chinese conductor Tang Muhai, and Luke Holls, media creative director of the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

Quanzhou serves to connect the Land and Maritime Silk Roads, said Wei, the writer of the opera, which is why it was chosen to host the opera. Wei inserted a few creative twists into the plot and structure of the opera.

Most of the creators of Marco Polo come from western countries, while the actors and the story are from China, reflecting the integration of the East and the West, according to the rehearsal director Shi Jingfu. Due to cultural differences, it was challenging for the Chinese actors to fully the grasp the meaning behind the opera, but they powered through and gave outstanding performances nonetheless.

The Quanzhou Grand Theater covers an area of 43,400 square meters and has a 1442-seat opera hall and a 492-seat concert hall. It is equipped with internationally standardized facilities and is the largest and most professional theatre in southern Fujian. It is expected to hold 140 performances during its first year, and at least 40 art or education activities each year.

The opening performance season will last for more than a month. The performances will include the dance gala Beauty in the East by the China East Singing and Dancing Troupe, famous pianist Li Yundi's piano solo concert, and the original Broadway musical The Wizard of Oz.

A scene of opera Marco Polo staged in the Quanzhou Grand Theater. [Photo/fjsen.com]