At 11 noon on June 17, the temperature in Dalian was close to 30°C. The "Dalian Night" cultural dinner stage was being set up, and the surface temperature was about 40°C. On the stage, an elderly man wearing a safety helmet, sandals, and his clothes on his back were soaked with sweat was pressing his feet against a wooden board to test the firmness of the stage. The piled equipment, the noisy sounds, the workers on the scaffolding, and him on the stage... all of this formed an admirable picture. He is Ma Zhiguang, the chief director of the "Dalian Night" cultural dinner of the 2024 Dalian Summer Davos Forum.
This is a deep-seated love
"The director team hopes to dedicate the best things to the stage and to the guests"
"Does the director need to test the firmness of the stage in person?" The reporter stood on the stage wearing a safety helmet, holding a shelf high above the stage. The light-transmitting shed brought an effect similar to a greenhouse, making reporters feel unbearably hot. Holding a bottle of mineral water in his hand, Ma Zhiguang was sweating and tried almost every wooden board on the stage. "Each show has the same requirements for the stage. The wooden boards are not allowed to be uneven or trembled. They must be absolutely strong. Everyone else is busy." , I can solve it immediately after trying it on site, which is normal.”
Ma Zhiguang and the actors of Dalian Song and Dance Theater adjust the prop turntable during the rehearsal of the "Dalian Night" cultural dinner program. Photo provided by the interviewee
The safety manager at the stage project site told reporters that the surface temperature here at this time was about 40°C. Most viewers, like reporters, only see the glory and success in front of the stage, but not the sweat and dedication behind the stage. Ma Zhiguang said: "This is normal, not hard work."
Dalian and Davos have joined hands eight times, and the "Dalian Night" cultural dinner held outdoors on the seaside of Donggang Business District has become a business card of Dalian.
Starting from the outdoor cultural dinner held by Dalian Summer Davos Forum, the chief director of all previous "Dalian Nights" has been Ma Zhiguang. During the interview, Ma Zhiguang was busy up and down, thinking clearly, moving quickly and speaking loudly. He said: "I can't remember how many times this is my first time directing, but every 'Dalian Night' I direct has a goal: the window of Dalian Davos is getting bigger and bigger, the scale is gradually increasing, and the director The team hopes to dedicate the best things to the stage and to the guests.”
Beauty is also a kind of competitiveness
“Let the audience appreciate the beauty of Dalian’s humanity in a one-hour program”
“The beautiful scenery of Dalian is not enough, the beauty of the cultural dinner is very important. "Beauty is also a kind of competitiveness." Ma Zhiguang said: "The city's GDP and the city's architecture are beautiful, but they cannot be achieved without cultural aesthetic competitiveness. The purpose of the 'Dalian Night' cultural dinner is to create a feast of beauty. , allowing guests to see the cultural beauty of the East. "
"Different from other large-scale performance events, the cultural performance in Davos is quite special. It is a window open to the outside world in Dalian and focuses more on a city than other events. Ma Zhiguang said, "Therefore, the composition of the show 'Dalian Night' is relatively diverse, and the core is to find something that can be brought to the stage from traditional Chinese culture, and is both traditional and Dalian. , and at the same time, it can go global. "
What are Chinese aesthetic symbols? Ma Zhiguang said: "The lighting, costumes, performances, and shapes on the scene are all symbols of Chinese aesthetics. The director team is thinking about how to integrate them and let the audience have an understanding of Chinese culture through several programs. This is actually It is a choice, a choice.”
Nourish the cultural spirit of Dalian people
“Supporting, nourishing and cultivating culture requires great efforts, although sometimes it may not reflect GDP”
“Everything we do "Every time I direct a cultural event in Davos, I hope that people who have watched it will want to watch it again, and that people who have acted in it will still have some memories." , there is a lasting trend of accumulating something for this city."
" Yesterday I went to check out an opening dance. It was directed by a young choreographer. It was done very well. I was very moved and bowed deeply to the actors. "Speaking of this, Ma Zhiguang was a little moved, "These children are working hard. Under such difficult conditions, they still persist in leaving. This may be a kind of inheritance of Dalian's cultural spirit. To these kids, us older folks are just passers-by, so I was touched to see them perform so well. We need to work hard to support, nourish and cultivate culture, although sometimes it may not reflect GDP. "
Ma Zhiguang said: "During the intensive preparations for the 'Dalian Night' cultural dinner, we are adhering to one goal, that is, this performance represents Dalian, represents Liaoning, and represents the level of our country, and we must consider cultural quality in every aspect. How does this quality manifest itself? There are many factors involved, and I think the most important one is people. Any work that is truly rooted in the fertile soil of Dalian requires ingenuity, so we must fully respect the laws of artistic creation. The growth of urban culture is a long-term process. I hope we will continue to nourish it and continuously improve the competitiveness of urban cultural beauty. ”
Peninsula Morning News, 39 Degree Video chief reporter Zhao Hui
