By hannover-web.com At the Flying Arts Center, the event titled “Let Art Illuminate Life: A Cross-Cultural Discussion on Chinese Arts” featured a captivating performance of a scene from the play “Thunderstorm.” The initiative aims to enrich the cultural lives of diverse ethnic groups in Silicon Valley and promote multicultural exchange. Upholding the philosophy of “breaking boundaries through art,” the center launched a series of lectures on “Cultural Literacy and an Enriching Life.”
The inaugural event showcased Chinese young artist Wu Diandian, who not only delivered a keynote speech but also performed, providing Bay Area audiences with a visual and auditory feast of Chinese culture.
Wu Diandian hails from an artistic family; his father, Wu Xiuzhong, was among the first generation of performers with the China National Ballet. From a young age, he was immersed in a rich cultural environment and studied various art forms, including piano, erhu, jinghu, drama, and songwriting, under prominent masters.
Holding a Master’s degree in Literature from Columbia University, Wu is an accomplished alumnus of the East Asian Languages and Cultures department. After graduation, he frequently traveled between the US and China, performing in multiple venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Harvard University. In addition to his artistic performances, he has contributed to cultural exchanges between the two countries through teaching and event planning. Recently, he has also ventured into film and television production, serving as an executive producer for the CCTV drama “Lantong Hua Kai.”
During the event, Wu Diandian shared personal experiences and his understanding of art, interspersed with performances that included piano solos of “Dance of the Water Grass” and “Ode to the Yellow River,” erhu solo “Reflections of the Moon on the Two Springs,” jinghu solo “Deep in the Night,” original songs like “Wu Ye Ti,” poetry recitation of “Full River Red,” and guided segments on classic dance dramas such as “Red Detachment of Women” and “Raise the Red Lantern,” as well as a scene from “Thunderstorm.”
Wu mentioned that his artistic expressions are pursued as hobbies in his spare time. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the premiere of the Chinese ballet “Red Detachment of Women,” and he took the opportunity during the event to pay tribute to the artists of previous generations by guiding the audience through this iconic production of the China National Ballet.
His performances resonated deeply with the audience, and many attendees expressed their eagerness for an encore after the event concluded.
Zhou Xiaohong, the program and event director at the Flying Arts Center, stated that they plan to continue this series of lectures, inviting artists from diverse backgrounds to explore the intrinsic relationship between “cultural literacy and a meaningful life” from multiple perspectives.
