China News Service/China Times, Beijing, Oct. 1 (Reporter Feng Ganyong) - Mr. Li Pei, a new contemporary play created by the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the National Day in the midst of intense rehearsals.

On September 30, 1956, Guo Yonghuai and Li Pei gave up their lucrative positions at the University of the United States and resolutely chose to return to their homeland. 2024, a unique live broadcast of the kunqu "Mr. Li Pei" was held in the rehearsal hall of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater's theater barn.

This contemporary original kunqu opera, which will premiere in Beijing in October, shows the extraordinary life of this couple in a stunning way, not only boldly innovative in subject matter, but also breaks through the framework of traditional kunqu in the form of artistic expression, so that people can't help but exclaim: "Kunqu can still be performed this way!"

Today is the 75th anniversary of the National Day, in order to better dedicate to the audience this touching contemporary kunqu, the whole hospital to give up the National Day vacation, from the president of the Yang Fengyi, Sun Minglei, secretary of the cast and every member of the crew, are on the scene to further serious polishing, carving and refining rehearsals.

Contemporary kunqu "Mr. Li Pei" brings together a large number of well-known artists, providing a strong guarantee for the artistic quality of the play. The chief producer of the kunqu "Mr. Li Pei" is Ling Jinyu, former secretary of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre; Gong Yingtian, playwright and chief director; Yang Fan and Li Yongzhi, directors; Yu Shawen, composer and orchestrator; Sun Jianan, composer and orchestrator Liu Sijun; and Zhang Qingshan, chief designer of the choreography, and other creators are all leaders in the industry.

In the play, Mr. Li Pei is played by Wei Chunrong, a Plum Blossom Prize winner and a national-level actress, who is making her challenging debut in a modern kunqu play, and Yuan Guoliang, a national-level actress, who plays Guo Yonghuai. In the kunqu "Dream of the Red Chamber" in the role of "Bao Dai" of the national level actors Weng Jiahui and Zhu Bingzhen will once again on the same stage, respectively, Guo Yonghuai and Li Pei's only daughter Guo Qin and Li Pei's protégé Yang Jia, the outstanding young actor Wang Chen as Lei Meng. In the joint rehearsal, nearly a hundred actors and actresses full of deep feelings of interpretation, really moving, aptly showing Li Pei, Guo Yonghuai on the tenacious and unyielding spiritual strength, people several times in tears.

In particular, the first release of the kunqu "Mr. Li Pei" promotional theme song "Everything We Believe In" is even more amazing. It was composed by the Fresh Grams Band created by Beikun's outstanding young actor Wang Pu-shi, and sung by Beikun's famous actor Wei Chun-rong, who plays Li Pei in the play, across the border, blending kunqu and rock, classical and contemporary, with both deep and passionate emotions, fully demonstrating the atmospheric pattern and innovative consciousness of the work "Mr. Li Pei".