Hong Kong, 3 Mar (ZXS) -- Interview with music maestro Tan Dun: Serve as a cultural ambassador with the ardent heart of "starting from me" to promote Hong Kong

China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong

In March, Hong Kong was rainy and the cultural centre on Victoria Harbour was shrouded in a mist. Tan Dun, an internationally renowned Chinese composer and conductor, hurriedly walked in with a black bag, wiped the corners of his mouth with his fingertips, and "didn't call himself" and said with a smile that he had just finished eating a delicious pineapple bun and took the subway to be interviewed.

In March, Hong Kong was rainy and the cultural centre on Victoria Harbour was shrouded in a mist. Tan Dun, an internationally renowned Chinese composer and conductor, hurriedly walked in with a black bag, wiped the corners of his mouth with his fingertips, and "didn't call himself" and said with a smile that he had just finished eating a delicious pineapple bun and took the subway to be interviewed. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo

Tan Dun has the artist's natural keen sense of touch and sensory cells. Last winter, he planned a live show in Hong Kong's Chi Lin Pure Garden, where the courtyard and garden after sunset, the performers walked freely, danced, struck stones as instruments, stepped on the waves and sang, and the ethereal voice sang melodious songs, rising everywhere, Dunhuang flying sky in an instant, prosperity and illusion overlapped, and the viewer could not help but feel like they were in a foggy realm.

Tan Dun told reporters that the inspiration for this performance emerged when he visited Chi Lin Jingyuan, and the classical temples, stone railings, and neatly manicured dwarf pines in the courtyard all made him feel like he touched a kind of grand temperament, which is unrestrained and boundless in the form of dreams, so he presented what he saw and felt truthfully into his works.

Tan Dun, an internationally renowned Chinese composer and conductor, said in an exclusive interview with a reporter from the China News Agency that becoming Hong Kong's "cultural promotion ambassador" in January this year is a willing thing to do, and "promoting Hong Kong can start with me every day." Hong Kong's cultural advantage is evident – the essence of Chinese and Western cultures. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo

In the past few days in Hong Kong, Tan Dun has also been observing the cultural fabric of the city from subtle aspects, such as subway advertisements. "Hong Kong is probably the city with the most cultural advertisements in the world, and the Hong Kong SAR government and the people of Hong Kong are proud of their cultural creations and achievements, and they can see that they have feelings for this city."

Similarly, Tan Dun also has a deep affection for Hong Kong, this love comes from the cultural background of Hong Kong's reverence and protection of the past, and also from the youth memory of many years ago when he accidentally bumped into the cultural center while hanging out with his then girlfriend (now wife) and registered his marriage here.

Tan Dun, an internationally renowned Chinese composer and conductor, said in an exclusive interview with a reporter from the China News Agency that becoming Hong Kong's "cultural promotion ambassador" in January this year is a willing thing to do, and "promoting Hong Kong can start with me every day." Hong Kong's cultural advantage is evident – the essence of Chinese and Western cultures. Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo

For him, he is willing to use words of praise to describe the city's diverse culture and history, and for him to become Hong Kong's "cultural ambassador" in January this year, "Promoting Hong Kong can 'start with me' every day." I can tell all my friends about the preciousness of Hong Kong, whether it's the royal family of Abu Dhabi, the folk artists on the streets of New York, or the villagers in Africa, they only need to come to Hong Kong once and they will understand. ”

In Tan's view, Hong Kong's cultural advantage is obvious – compatibility with the essence of Chinese and Western cultures. It not only inherits Chinese traditional culture completely, has a rich heritage of Chinese culture, but also always maintains young vitality, and has keen and direct feedback on international cultural trends and market information. Tan described Hong Kong as a window and a pearl of China, and firmly believed that it could play a larger role as a platform than it is now.

Less than 3 months into office, Tan Dun has personally implemented the mission of Cultural Ambassador. He led Hong Kong performing artists to visit and collect styles in Guizhou and Xi'an, and his next stop will be to explore the origins of women's culture in Hunan, and try to extract inspiration from them and give them new life in dialogue with traditional culture. He also actively uses his international network to bring the young generation of Hong Kong artists to the world's most authoritative art stage, and collaborates with the world's top orchestras to express their nostalgia and attachment through culture and art.

As for his own artistic creation, it never stops. In order to coincide with the first "Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival" to be held in Hong Kong this year, Tan Dun revealed that a "Bach Rock" performance will be planned at the end of the year, combining the style of the father of classical music with the most original rock music in China to see what kind of sparks can collide. Tan Dun also wants to try more cross-sector cooperation, such as inviting dancer Yang Liping from Yunnan to integrate and recreate with Hong Kong cultural elements.

Although these concepts have not yet taken shape, Tan Dun is already excited about it. Looking ahead to the long road of his five-year term, he only asked himself to do something simple every day that could "start with me", introduce the city he loved from the heart to the world, and in the process "look back on the glory of the past and create the scenery of the future". (End)