The forecast calls for “An Oriental Monsoon” at MTSU as a powerful, swirling display of light and sound heads for Murfreesboro.
“An Oriental Monsoon,” a theatrical production by faculty and students of China’s Hangzhou Normal University, is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, in Tucker Theatre on the MTSU campus. The event is free and open to the public.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for MTSU and the community to see these performers and their musical program,” said Guanping Zheng, director of MTSU’s Confucius Institute, which co-sponsors the presentation with the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban).
The mission of MTSU’s Confucius Institute is to enhance the understanding of Chinese language and culture, facilitate engagement with China and create opportunities for exchange and collaboration between communities in Tennessee and China.
Hangzhou Normal University and MTSU forged a partnership on Dec. 1, 2009, when MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Hangzhou President Ye Gaoxiang signed an agreement calling for outreach programs and cultural exchanges. The Confucius Institute at MTSU opened in 2010 and has since taught hundreds of students about Chinese language and culture.
“The Chinese culture is fascinating and our Confucius Institute plays a critical role in bringing slices of that culture to our campus for the entire community to enjoy,” McPhee said. “Not only will this visit by our friends from Hangzhou Normal be a terrific learning experience, but an entertaining one as well.”
Zheng describes the upcoming program of dance, vocals and instrumentation as “traditional with a modern flavor.”
Segment titles include “Tibetan Lasses,” “Bathing in the Light of the Moon,” “Mongolian Bowl Dance,” “The Rhythm of Martial Arts,” and, in a nod to the Chinese New Year celebration of the Year of the Horse, “Thousands of Galloping Horses.”
“They have a very good international reputation,” Zheng said. “Some of the performers are among the top artists in China.”
For more information, contact the Confucius Institute at MTSU at (615) 494-8696 or cimtsu@mtsu.edu.
