This photo taken from Jingshan Park on Aug. 12, 2024 shows the National Centre for the Performing Arts on a sunny day in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

As the new year unfolds, the China NCPA Chorus, the resident chorus of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, is set to embark on an exciting journey with a fresh, diverse season of offerings.

Based on the core theme of "Unbounded", the 2025 season will push the boundaries of choral art by blending classical traditions with modern interpretations and global influences, says Zhang Yao, vice-president of the NCPA.

This includes an array of choral music, operas, symphonic choral works and concerts in approximately 30 performances running throughout the year.

To celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Italy in 2025, the new season will explore Italian opera and folk music, blending multimedia and stage design to bring these genres to life in fresh and exciting ways under the leadership of the NCPA's music director, Lyu Jia.

More concerts are planned to bring the world's musical treasures to the stage, demonstrating how choral art can break boundaries and experiment with new forms. For example, World Music Tour, China NCPA Chorus: World Famous Songs Concert, conducted by Jiao Miao, will feature famous songs from around the world, including Mexican dance music, New Zealand folk music, and French love songs. The chorus will explore ways to merge vocals with musical instruments, including the free, vigorous rhythms of Africa and South America.

Choral Theater, a special themed series combining theater with sound, will invite audiences into the stories to experience emotional rhythms.

The Merriment Adventure, a concert version of the operas The Merry Widow, a comic operetta in three acts by Hungarian composer Franz Lehar, and Die Fledermaus, an operetta by Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, will present the comedic characteristics of operetta through bright, lively rhythms and lighthearted, humorous content, bringing delight to the audience through the twists and turns of the plot.

"Fifteen years ago, a group of passionate voices came together to found the China NCPA Chorus, and today, it has become a beloved pillar of the arts community in the country," says resident conductor Jiao, who has been with the chorus since its inception. "We've built a large fan base over the past 15 years, and with this new Choral Theater series, we want to find a way to be innovative with contemporary Chinese choral art by telling stories with sound and cross-border collaborations."

Jiao adds that to appeal to younger audiences, the new series will also include Cinderella, a concert based on the classic fairy tale, and The Tale of Fuxi and Nyuwa, a concert themed around the snake zodiac sign from classical Chinese mythology. These performances will help educate Chinese culture to children through music and audiovisual experiences.

The symphonic choral section will highlight some of the most beautiful pieces in the choral repertoire. Conducted by Li Xincao, the chorus will present a powerful rendition of the Yellow River Cantata in commemoration of the 120th anniversary of composer Xian Xinghai. It will also present Carmina Burana, a cantata for orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists by the German composer Carl Orff, which is famous for its grandeur, in collaboration with the China Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Yu Long.

As a versatile ensemble, the China NCPA Chorus will also take on four major opera productions in the first half of the season — the Chinese operas The Long March and Minning Town, and Verdi's La Traviata and Il Trovatore.

"The full version of the Yellow River Cantata, in particular, impressed me deeply. It felt like every note told the heroic story of the Chinese people. Over time, I followed the chorus' performances, and in 2023, when they toured Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where I live, I attended the concert. I traveled to Beijing last year for their 15th anniversary concert, which remains a great memory," says Xing Jiachuan, a concertgoer who became a fan after watching the chorus' performances on the NCPA's online channel.

Famous dramatist and poet Zou Jingzhi has worked closely with the chorus. "I collaborated with the chorus on the opera Xi Shi, which I composed in 2010. Hearing them for the first time, I was deeply moved by their youthful, passionate and powerful voices. I could feel the singers' overflowing passion for choral art," he says.

Zou has worked with the chorus on other operas, such as The Chinese Orphan (2011) and The Long March (2016). "Their enthusiasm is infectious, and the energy they bring to the stage is unparalleled," he adds.