The Sunrise is the seventh Chinese Opera Commission of NCPA. As a classical repertoire of Drama Maestro Cao Yu, the opera is listed among the best works of Cao Yu with its distinct epochal character and profound historic background. It has many different versions in the past decades and has had profound impact in society. 2015 marks the 80th anniversary of publication of The Sunrise, and NCPA works together with China's leading creative team including composer Jin Xiang, playwright Wan Fang, and director Li Liuyi to create this opera to pay tribute to Mr. Cao Yu and his work. The playwright Wan Fang is Cao Yu's daughter, who has a unique understandings of the work, probes profoundly into the tragic theme of the original, to enrich the characters and fully display the social status. The composer Jin Xiang uses fluent and concise music, clear and evident clues and abundant colors which has distinct epochal character; besides, he especially pays attention to the dramatic conflict of music in the creative process, which adds the accuracy to the image.
The Sunrise is a classic work on the theatre stage of China, and it has been performed for decades since 1930s. In the 1980s I have adapted it into movie; together with my father Cao Yu, later I re-adapted it into TV series. Those two experiences make me very familiar with the figures in the drama. I can understand their characters, their feelings, their thoughts, and every one of them is like a mirror, reflecting the bizarre and morbid society.
Chen Bailu is the soul of The Sunrise, who used to be a na？ve girl and once was ardently loved; falls into corruption step by step after her love dream was broken. However, she has an aloof and pure heart that has not died. No matter how deep she despises her surrounding people, she dwells in them all day long. She sees through the material-oriented and ugly society, but on the other hand is absorbed in the luxury life. The foul smell of life makes her uncomfortable; however she cannot get rid of it. She struggles as well as corrupts, despises as well as enjoys, loves as well as hates. The human nature is always contradictory and complicated. The death of Chen Bailu is kind of an elegy for life
