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Theater director enjoys overseas success

By Chen Jie | China Daily | Updated: 2014-04-30 08:54

Theater director enjoys overseas success

A scene from Tian's acclaimed work Green Snake. Chai Meilin / For China Daily

Q&A

Who is your hero?
I have never thought of that.

If you are able to talk to a late master of your field, who will be?
Li Shutong (1880-1942), a famous scholar, musician, artist, dramatist and finally a convert to Buddhism.

What's your favorite virtue?
Knowing well what you want.

If you were not yourself, who would you be?
An artist or a nun.

If there's one thing you can change about yoursel, what would it be?
I'm indecisive. I don't know how to say "no".

What's the natural talent that you'd like to be gifted with?
Wisdom.

How do you wish to die?
Peacefully, with no pain.

Alicia Adams, vice-president of the Kennedy Center and curator of the World Stages International Theater Festival, wants to bring together some of today's most exciting theatrical visionaries. She asked China's Ministry of Culture for recommendations and also asked Alison M. Friedman, an experienced American curator who has done lots of Chinese projects, who can represent China's contemporary theater. Both of them gave her the name Tian Qinxin. After watching Green Snake when it premiered at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in March 2013, Adams decided at once to invite Tian.

The performance was as successful as it was at the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Shanghai Arts Festival last year. Many of audience members stayed to ask her questions at the after-show talk.

"I did not expect American audiences to enjoy the story so much. They can totally understand it, just the same as Chinese audiences. It was like I was sitting in the theater in Beijing," Tian says. "The only difference is that Americans are more open to expressing their love and sadness while watching."

Theater director enjoys overseas success