Students from the art troupe of the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China perform during the Chinese New Year Showcase in Chicago, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Joe Lerner/Xinhua)
CHICAGO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The joyful melody of Spring Festival Overture resonated through the Harris Theater in downtown Chicago on Saturday, opening the second annual Chinese New Year Showcase presented by Chicago Philharmonic musicians alongside students from a Beijing high school art troupe.
The collaboration blended professional mastery with youthful energy, welcoming the Year of the Snake in a spectacular showcase of music and dance.
The first half of the sold-out showcase featured the Philharmonic's string quartet of eight well-known Chinese folk songs, evoking nostalgia among an audience of mostly Chinese origin.
With a trio titled Rainbow Dance, featuring the pipa (a Chinese traditional instrument), piano and cello, three Chicago Philharmonic musicians delivered a mesmerizing fusion of East and West, with melodies as fluid and luminous as its name.
Then came the Chinese students' turn to shine. Students from the art troupe of the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China brought the stage to life with electrifying street dance, high-energy aerobics, ballet-inspired choreography and a martial arts duel that drew gasps from the crowd and earned roaring applause.
"Music and dance have incredible power to connect people of all different backgrounds," said Scott Speck, artistic director and principal conductor of Chicago Philharmonic, in his remarks opening Saturday's showcase.
"In addition to celebrating the richness of Chinese culture, we're also celebrating these universal languages that can bring us all together," he told the audience.
Spring Festival is the grandest traditional Chinese festival, said Chinese Consul General in Chicago Wang Baodong at the event, noting that UNESCO added the festival to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the close of 2024.
Spring Festival is enjoying growing global appeal.
For eighth-grader Song Yuexi, playing Spring Festival Overture alongside the Chicago Philharmonic was "an exhilarating and unforgettable experience." She told Xinhua she was struck by how the musicians "honored the essence of Chinese music while adding their own interpretations, and every note carried the joy of the Chinese New Year."
Ninth-grader Wu Yingzhen, a dancer on his second U.S. visit, just performed for his peers on campus in Muscatine, Iowa, days ago.
"Dance is a language without borders," he said, recalling the enthusiastic response from American students he met in Muscatine. "It breaks cultural barriers and brings people closer. I hope I can perform overseas again in the future and help the seeds of friendship take root everywhere."
Donning a festive red top, audience member Elizabeth Olson said: "It's wonderful to see the professional Chicago Philharmonic musicians playing with the high school students from Beijing, and they did a fabulous job."
"It's so wonderful to celebrate the Chinese New Year here with all these people," she added.
Banker Andy Salk echoed the sentiment. Chinese student performers were "spectacularly talented with a lot of young energy," he told Xinhua, adding how enjoyable it was to take in the show. ■
Students from the art troupe of the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China perform during the Chinese New Year Showcase in Chicago, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Joe Lerner/Xinhua)
Attendees pose for a selfie at the Chinese New Year Showcase in Chicago, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Joe Lerner/Xinhua)
