China News Agency, Hong Kong, March 2, title: Warren Mok: Presenting Chinese culture to the world through cultural complementarity
China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong Fan Siyi
Hong Kong singer Warren Mok will participate in the National Two Sessions as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Hong Kong for the first time.
In a recent interview with China News Agency on "Two Sessions · Face to Face", he shared his views and suggestions on how to spread Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories well.
An excerpt from the interview is as follows:
China News Agency reporter: What are the topics you are most concerned about in this year's National Two Sessions?
Warren Mok: I am most concerned about the cultural aspect.
The national "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly proposes to support Hong Kong's development into a cultural and artistic exchange center between China and foreign countries. I would like to make more suggestions in this regard.
Two days ago I submitted a proposal on how to deepen cultural exchanges between Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
As a center of cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, how can Hong Kong promote Chinese culture to the world?
I think there are several aspects that can be strengthened, including building Chinese cultural brands and strengthening young people's understanding of the country.
I have a lot of experience in this area. As the top three tenors in China, we have performed over a hundred times around the world. Every time we perform abroad, we sing familiar foreign songs in the first half and Chinese folk songs in the second half.
Because classical music is an international culture after all, it comes from Europe. We first master their culture well, and then promote our own culture, so that their recognition (will be higher) and they will be more acceptable. If all sing Chinese songs , they do not understand, then the effect (of cultural promotion) will not be achieved.
We've been very successful at this, and we've become very popular almost everywhere.
Two weeks ago, I performed in Paris and sang "My Motherland and Me" when I returned. Half of the audience was French and half were Chinese. The Chinese all sang with me, and some even stood up and sang. , this is culture.
Those French people were stunned at that time.
When Chinese culture goes out, it is necessary to build its own brand, and of course there must be high-level cultural performances, not only for the local Chinese, but also for the local people to get involved and understand Chinese culture.
This is the most important point for Chinese culture to go global.
China News Agency reporter: We know that your life experience is very rich and legendary.
You were born in Beijing, grew up in Hong Kong, went to the United States to study, and appeared on the stage in Europe. Many people think that you are an "international person". What do you think of this statement?
Warren Mok: "International people" are just superficial, the heart is Chinese, and will always be Chinese.
I am very honored to be born in Beijing. Although my family is Cantonese and my ancestral home is Zhuhai, I am a Beijinger and a Hong Konger. I speak Beijing dialect in Beijing and Cantonese in Hong Kong. It is very harmonious.
It has been 25 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland. During these 25 years, I have seen changes in Hong Kong.
However, Hong Kong, as a special zone, is far from being recognized internationally. Now that I go out to perform, I also become a "diplomat" to explain what the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is.
Many foreigners think that Hong Kong is the same as the mainland after the return of the motherland, and you need a visa to come to Hong Kong. I said that you EU (countries) do not need a visa to come to Hong Kong, because the Hong Kong SAR has its own Basic Law and its own SAR passport.
Basically 99% of foreigners don’t know about these things, so I think the SAR government should promote the Hong Kong SAR to the world, and by enhancing their understanding of Hong Kong, bring the culture of Hong Kong and the country to the world.
Hong Kong has many economic and trade offices all over the world. I hope these offices will not only promote economic development, but also strengthen cultural promotion.
China has a history of more than 5,000 years and is one of the countries with the longest history in the world. How we can spread Chinese traditional culture and national culture to the world is worth thinking about and doing.
This kind of situation also requires economic support. I suggest that in terms of funds, the SAR government should provide strong support, and the consortium should also provide strong support, so that Chinese culture can truly go global.
China News Agency reporter: The national "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly stated that it supports Hong Kong's development into a cultural and artistic exchange center between China and foreign countries.
In your opinion, what advantages does Hong Kong have in this regard?
What are the shortcomings?
How can we leverage our strengths and make up for our weaknesses?
Warren Mok: The disadvantage is that the promotion of Chinese culture is far from enough. The advantage is that Hong Kong has a "one country, two systems" system, with a great degree of capital (circulation) and international freedom, and Hong Kong's taxation is the lowest in the world.
Under such superior economic conditions, I think the SAR government can put more effort into culture, and give full play to the real Chinese culture and classical culture.
For example, the Hong Kong Opera House has celebrated its 20th anniversary. I am the founder and artistic director. The Hong Kong Opera House has rehearsed many classic operas.
Hong Kong is an international metropolis, and the performance of classic operas is the minimum symbol of an international metropolis.
With the economy, the culture must keep up. In addition to the local culture, the international culture must also keep up.
China News Service reporter: In 2003, you led the establishment of Hong Kong Opera House, and it has been developed for nearly 20 years. Please share what specific work Hong Kong Opera House has done in promoting cultural and artistic exchanges between China and foreign countries in these years?
Warren Mok: Our original intention was to popularize opera in Hong Kong.
Pop music in Hong Kong is well developed, but classical music is far from being promoted.
The Hong Kong Opera House has rehearsed dozens of classic operas, such as "La Traviata", "Carmen", "Aida", "Turandot", etc. We have also established a training program for young artists and trained more than 20 young Hong Kong operas. artist.
We usually go on school tours to introduce opera culture, which is very helpful to Hong Kong society and the younger generation.
In addition to classic operas, we also create original operas, such as "Zhongshan Yixian", and we also moved the opera "The Orphan of Zhao" by the National Center for the Performing Arts to Hong Kong for performance.
Reporter from China News Service: Opera is a western stage art with a long history. In your opinion, how to make eastern audiences better understand this western art?
And how to spread Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories to Western audiences through this art form that is familiar to Western audiences?
Warren Mok: Why develop opera and popularize opera culture?
Because this is an internationally recognized culture, we have to keep up with it.
Not everyone has to be an opera fan, but it's good to go to the opera house once in your life.
Opera is a very ingenious and interesting cultural art. In a regular opera house or theater, we don’t use microphones. Neither the band nor the vocals use microphones. (The audience) listens to the original flavor.
Opera has a history of hundreds of years, and it is still so popular and has been passed down.
After China's reform and opening up, there have been many new performance venues. There are more than 100 new world-class theaters in the mainland, which can perform more operas.
In addition to foreign classic operas, there are 20 to 30 original operas in the mainland every year. The writing is classic opera techniques, but the singing is in Chinese, and the stories are also Chinese stories.
After these operas are rehearsed, they can go abroad to perform.
For example, the opera "Camel Xiangzi" of the National Center for the Performing Arts has been performed abroad. It is sung in Chinese, with subtitles translated into Italian, and performed in Italy, Germany and other countries. Bringing high-level original operas abroad can form cultural complementarity.
China News Agency reporter: From a world-renowned artist to a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Hong Kong, in your opinion, what are the similarities and differences between these two identities?
What role can your years of working experience around the world play in fulfilling your duties?
Where can we learn from each other?
Warren Mok: I have been a member of the Beijing CPPCC for two terms, and this time I became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, so I know the system of the CPPCC very well. , The CPPCC will give feedback to the relevant departments. Every time I propose a proposal, I receive very good feedback.
Therefore, as a CPPCC member and as a literary and art worker, the two aspects complement each other. I can use my cultural experience to make suggestions through the CPPCC, and at the same time, from the height of a CPPCC member, I can love the country and Hong Kong even more.
(over)