Yao Qingmei invited a Chinese soprano currently living in France to perform the widely circulated song “I Love You, China.” Frequently sung at various Chinese cultural festivals in Paris, the piece has become a ritualized part of the singer’s performing career.
Yao’s video subtly captures the soprano’s demeanor as she takes the stage, presenting a performance by a singer in which there is almost no singing. As the singer gathers her emotions and is just about to release the first note, Yao Qingmei interrupts her. The music stops abruptly. The tension in the singer’s face and body gives way to relaxation. “Start!” The prelude sounds again, and once more she is interrupted. The singer’s gestures and facial expressions during the prelude are charged with strong ideological and symbolic meaning.
The video focuses on the emotional tension before the singer begins to sing and the sudden release that follows each interruption, highlighting the stark contrast between a body performing a symbolic role and a body at ease as an individual. Viewers can observe the singer’s process of re-composing her emotions and bodily movements on stage, as well as the variations in her performance revealed through the repeated preludes.
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