A dance opera titled "Hua Mulan", a legendary Chinese folk heroine who took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as a man, was jointly held by China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG) and Hong Kong United Arts Entertainment Company in Hong Kong Cultural Center from September 14 to 15 to celebrate the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The dance opera was co-sponsored by the cultural series event "2024 National Style and Charm in the Pearl River", which is launched by the CAEG and operated by the China Performing Arts Agency (CPAA) under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR as well as under the support of Bauhinia Culture Holdings, and the "Bright Moon over the Pearl River" cultural brand by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR government.

The show on the night of September 14 drew the attendance of Paul Lam Ting-kwok, the HKSAR's secretary for justice; Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, former chief executive of the HKSAR government; Raistlin Lau, the HKSAR's secretary for culture, sports and tourism; Li Shuguang, deputy director of the Publicity and Cultural Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR; Liu Mingguang, secretary for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR government; Xue Lijun, general manager of Bauhinia Culture Holdings; and nearly 1,400 spectators.

In addition to narrating the completion of personal mission by Hua Mulan in both conscription and battlefields, the dance opera also underscored her pursuit of love, peace, freedom, self-discovery and self-recognition, striking a major chord with each individual there about heroism, the intense love of country and homeland, and genuine human emotion.

"Hua Mulan is the collective memory of both our nation and race for the Chinese people from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Her filial piety of being drafted into the army on behalf of her elderly father and outstanding performance in the battlefields have left a deep impression on all people of us," said a Hong Kong resident surnamed Chan. He added that it was a special feeling for him to closely appreciate traditional Chinese culture on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"I hope that Hua Mulan has shown to us not only her perseverance and bravery but also warmth and inclusiveness. Although we now live in a peaceful time and there is no war around us, yet women from all social sectors have carried forward her spirit in their life," said Hao Ruoqi, a chief dancer, at an interview.

The dance opera was produced by Ningbo Performing Arts Group. Since its debut in 2017, it has been held at home and abroad for over 100 rounds. The latest session of the dance opera was convened at the invitation of the First Hong Kong Chinese Cultural Festival and was followed by a large number of local people.

On Sept 13, the dance opera set up a special popularization venue on traditional Chinese culture and arts and invited local primary and middle school students to jointly appreciate the beauty of traditional Chinese culture. "I used to learn the Mulan Ballad from the textbook and my teachers hadn't explained it so thoroughly. This time, I have grasped a deep understanding of profound cultural deposit and spiritual connotation behind the ballad after watching the show", said a student from Shau Kei Wan Government Secondary School said during an interview.

Since this January, National Ballet of China has given its performance of classical artistic pieces like "the Red Detachment of Women" and "the Swan Lake" in the thematic cultural series event. In addition to the performance of "Confucius" and "the Flower of War" by China National Opera &Dance Drama Theater, the thematic cultural series event will roll out "the Legend of the White Snake" by National Peking Opera and "A Resonant Ode" by China National Traditional Orchestra in the coming several months. In 2025, the cultural series event will present more high-quality artistic works for audiences at home and abroad.