Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin
Gong Dong-jian  Zhuang Zhou / storyteller

Gong Dong-jian is a remarkably gifted bass with a voice of great range and power. His repertoire encompasses the demanding roles of Verdi as well as the operas of Mozart, Rossini and contemporary works. 2001 he appeared as Laohan in Qu Xiao-song's "The last String" with the Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin and sang Han Xizai in Guo Wenjing's "Night Banquet" at the Beijing Music Festival. This role he also sang in performances in Paris, Perth and Berlin. Gong Dong-jian has made a specialty of the role of Kublai Khan in Tan Dun's "Marco Polo", he can be heard on the Sony Classics recording of the piece, and has sung the opera in Munich, Amsterdam, Turin, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and London.

Wu Bixia  Fanning woman / Zhuang Zhou's wife, Madame Tian / storyteller

She is teacher of the China Conservatory and Member of China Music Society and the National People’s Congress of China as well. She has mastered the methods of singing both Chinese and foreign vocal songs and has been honored with many awards such as the First Prize Winner and the Best Singer for Chinese Songs in 1st China International Vocal Competition and the First Prize Winner at 8th Bilbao international Vocal Competition in Spain in 2000, the Outstanding Young Artist Title of Beijing Municipal Government in 2002. She took part in the Gala Lirica Musical Festival in Madrid and played the leading role Gilda in Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto” at the ARRIAGA Opera House in 2001. In 2002 at Singapore she played the Princess Blue in a symphonic fantasy epic "Marco Polo and Princess Blue". 2003 she began her personal concert tour in China and other parts of Asia.

Shi Xiao-mei  Prince of Chu / storyteller

Since graduating from the Drama School of Jiangsu Province, Shi Xiao-mei has worked with Jiangsu Provincial Kunqu Opera House. She was teached by celebrated artists like Shen Chuanzhi, Zhou Chuanying and Yu Zhenfei. Her performance is characteristic of silvery and bright voice, clear and rhythmical articulating and the adept combination of softness and powerfulness in performing. Her repertoire includes the most famous Chinese operas like "The Peach Bossom Fan" or "The Return of the Soul". Shi Xiao-mei has received numerous awards including the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and she was honored one of the "artists who have committed to the Kunqu opera for a long time with great achievements" by Chinese Department of Culture. She is now a member of the Chinese Performer's Association and the Chinese Opera Performing Society.

Kang Jian-hai Shaman

He studied skills in Theatrical School of Wugong, where he also worked at the theatre. In 1990, he transferred to Qin Qiang Theatrical Company of Ding Xi, later to the opera of Tian Shui City, both in Gansu province. He performed successfully the role of Zhao Kuangyin in "Going to the East of the River" and Yang Jiye in "Golden Sand Beach". Kang Jian-hai won several prizes as The first prize in the contest of young actors in Gansu in 1995, The first prize of singing opera arias in the First All-China Qin Qiang Art Festival in 1997, the prize of performance in "The Star of Zhong Cheng" in Shaanxi province in 2000. Since 2003 he works in Qin Qiang Group of Theatrical Research Institute of Shaanxi.

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