adminMonica Cheru Mpambawashe Lifestyle Editor
The 2014 edition of the Night of Beijing held at Celebration Centre was a fully intense indulgence of the senses, as the capacity crowd has obviously come to expect from the event.
Hosted by celebrity Chinese television presenter Xu Chunni and Michael Mashakada an alumni of the Confucius Institute at University of Zimbabwe, the whole show was one seamless flow of one great act after another.
It is difficult to zero in on any particular act as the outright crowd favourite, showing that it was a night if uninterrupted masterpieces.
First up was a Peking Opera titled “Gems of Jingju” and performed by Beijing Opera Theatre of Beijing and Beijing Dance and Opera Company.
Those unfamiliar with opera might not have particularly appreciated the singing but the glittering costumes and the dances transcend all cultural barriers.
The four acrobatic acts were all stunning.
The Pagoda of Bowls in which young girls and their male partners did a number of unbelievable human juggling acts during which the girls had bowls balanced on their heads or upturned feet left most people dazzled.
Three poignant acts were the rendition of the classic Pied Pipers’ “Ruva Rangu” by Pipa & String Quartet, a group that presented a daring but wonderful marriage between traditional Chinese and Western music instruments.
Their masterful interpretation proved that love knows no language boundaries. The connection was reignited when the Confucius Institute choir also did their version which incorporates Shona and Cantonese lyrics.
The College of Music choir reciprocated by belting a popular Chinese tune, albeit with a traditional Zimbabwean instrument expression, which got the Chinese in the audience singing along and clapping in surprised delight.
Patronage was mixed across many ethnicities.
Autumn, the all female dance group provided a sensuous experience as they depicted the emotions that a woman experiences in the presence of the beauty of nature in spring.
They proved that women need not prance about almost naked to be deemed worthy performing artists.
But if any act has to be declared the apex of a night of excellence, it would be the Spicy Sisters “Diabolos” with their innovative acrobatics with dumb bell yoyos.
The intricate juggling and the dancing feather headdresses left the audience gasping in undiluted delight.
The final act was a rendition of “Welcome to Beijing”, the theme song of the 2006 Olympics hosted in that city.
It was performed by You Mu and Yang Chong with the rest of the artistes joining in for a fittingly spectacular closing.
Night of Beijing has become an annual highlight of artistic events in Harare.
Although the show runs over a very limited space of just about two hours, the result is awesome enough to leave patrons satiated for a while.
Although a year of anticipation for the next event may seem long, fortunately the organisers freely allowed cameras and patrons will have images to sustain them until the next event.
“Everything here is just magical. The exhibition of different aspects of Beijing leaves one just awestruck and as for the performances, I am just blown over. This is my second time and I brought my children because the entertainment here is clean,” said Mabel Dzavanhu, a patron.
Nostalgia and delight were the reigning emotions for Chinese nationals domiciled in Zimbabwe:
“Somehow the night makes one belong. It is good to experience something from back home here in my second home which is Zimbabwe. I am personally not from Beijing and I may never have had the chance to see these acts there. So I feel honoured that our people value us enough to do this for us,” summarised Hu Jin, a young Chinese man who says he has been in Zimbabwe for three years.
Tickets were pre-sold through all Chinese restaurants in Harare and the $20 000 raised will be split equally between Celebration Ministries International orphanage and the Tokwe Mukosi flood victims who are currently in Chingwizi Transit Camp.
Online Reporter