The Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Theatre has enjoyed considerable success over the past decade in its mission to modernise and raising awareness of Yue Opera, a popular Chinese opera genre that features women in all roles and uses articulation and pronunciation of the traditional Wu dialect. Recently, the theatre has installed a DiGiCo Quantum 225 mixing console and L-Acoustics L-ISA system to draw the audience into its stories.
Supplied by Rightway Audio Consultant (RAC), the console was key to the successful premier of My Grand View Garden. Supporting the audio team were System Engineer Wang Jianghua and Project Engineer Hao Fange who, along with supported the onsite engineers, liaised with DiGiCo to perfect the performances.
‘Yue Theatre has a proud heritage and a strong fan-base, so we want everything to go well,’ Jianghua explains. ‘The Quantum 225 is the perfect fit, and not just because of its compact footprint. The ability to use all the Quantum features, plus additional benefits like multiple DMI cards and USB Madi, make it endlessly adaptable and perfect for a busy theatre like the Hangzhou Butterfly.’
My Grand View Garden is a masterpiece of Yue theatre, portraying the story of Jia Baoyu as he grows up under the trials and tribulations of society and his family. Based on the 18th century classic of Chinese literature, Dream of the Red Chamber, the story observes the world of the ‘Red Chamber’ from Jia Baoyu’s point of view, digging into the core connotations and cultural values of the rise and fall of a high society family.
‘This Yue opera masterpiece interprets all kinds of life stories,’ says Hao Fange. ‘The skills of Chen Lijun and other actors, together with the audio system, immerse the audience in the plot,’ he finishes. ‘The Quantum 225 delivers the control required to ride the emotions of the performance, and the intuitive workflow was undoubtedly a massive bonus for the engineers.’