This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Canada. On the evening of May 23, CUEB hosted a China-Canada cultural exchange event at the Zhuoyu Auditorium, inviting Professor Nancy Hermiston, head of the University of British Columbia Opera Department, and her team to perform the Thunderstorm: Canadian Version in Chinese, treating teachers and students to a delightful cultural performance. As an innovation in CUEB’s “Colorful Beijing, Blooming Youth” Campaign, it offered teachers and students an opportunity to appreciate Chinese culture and to enhance their cultural confidence. Meanwhile, the chorus of CUEB joined the performance, engaging in an artistic dialogue between youth.

Thunderstorm, a famous opera in China, is a masterpiece of realism in Chinese opera created by Cao Yu. The Canadian version, adapted by Chinese composers Tang Ti-sheng (Tang Kangnian) and Pan Xinghai, simplifies the original story, focusing on six key characters: Fan Yi, Zhou Ping, Zhou Puyuan, Sifeng, Zhou Chong, and Luma. The on-site performance offered a brand-new audio-visual feast.

From Fan Yi’s aria brimming with suppression and struggle to the chorus bristling with dramatic tension, foreign actors delivered Thunderstorm with their whole hearts, showing their in-depth understanding and love for Chinese art and culture. This bridged the gap between Chinese and Canadian culture. When the last note faded, the eternal themes of literature and the infinite possibilities of music complemented each other. This cross-border cultural collaboration paid tribute to the classic and served as a practice of Chinese musicians carrying on culture through music.

After the show, Zhang Huixin, head of the Thunderstorm delegation, and director Nancy presented CUEB with a commemorative plaque. Audience students were all thrilled, saying the show felt like a soul-nourishing conversation with the art.

The Canadian UBC Opera Department and the Canadian Multicultural Volunteers Foundation organized the event, with CUEB’s Youth League Committee and International Cooperation and Exchange Office co-organizing it. Over 500 teachers and students attended.