8th edition of China Season

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An ancestral imaginary of earth and air, water and fire, inhabited by gods and humans, underlies the visionary creations of the Samoan artist Lemi Ponifasio. Drawing on the Indigenous cultures of the Pacific—from the Māori of New Zealand to the peoples of Kiribati in Micronesia—as well as from South America, Ponifasio creates, like a shaman, new symbols that speak to our present, where ceremony, performative culture and contemporary theatre converge.

“Star Returning - Sibiu” is a way of listening to the earth, to the ancestors and to the shared myths of the Yi people of the mountainous Daliangshan region in China—their cosmology, their origins, and their deep connection to nature, to ancestry, and to the spirituality intrinsic to this culture. Ponifasio writes: “Star Retuning is a community project to honor the complexities of life and infuse our communities with hope and authenticity. Through our collaborative efforts, we can reshape perceptions, inspire action, and resist despair with visions of beauty, strength, and potential”.

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Directed by: Lemi Ponifasio
Creative Team: Lemi Ponifasio / MAU

Cast: Jili Mezizha, Jigen Fuze, Aluo Zuogumu, HAI Hongfei, Wu Zimo, Peng Zhaoyuling, Zhang Yizhe, Helmi Prasetyo, Rosie Belvie

Producer: Liangshan Culture and Tourism Group
Co-producer: International Theatre Institute (ITI), Chinese Theatre Association, Shanghai Theatre Academy

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Duration: 1h 30min
Date of premiere: 23.11.2024
Original title: Star Returning
China
The Chinese Season