First Beijing Opera Filmed in 3D

Honoring the 35th anniversary of Sino-American diplomatic relations, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and Television is bringing a new and innovative film to the United States as part of an exchange and presentation of Chinese culture. “Farewell My Concubine: The Beijing Opera,” directed by Junjie Teng, is the first film made by a Chinese filmmaker to utilize native 3D photography to capture the art of Beijing Opera. The film represents a pioneering step in combining the traditional Chinese culture with modern 3D technology.

In conjunction with the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film and Television and Dolby Laboratories, Teng will showcase “Farewell My Concubine: The Beijing Opera” at a special industry screening on May 30 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

“When exploring the culture of Beijing Opera, we found that there are many performance forms that can be properly presented by 3D technology,” said Teng. “By combining traditional opera with vivid 3D imagery and the most advanced sound technology in Dolby Atmos, we have created an immersive new experience for the audience.”

In “Farewell My Concubine” Teng has championed an innovative approach to promoting traditional Chinese culture with younger and Western audiences in mind. Traditionally, Beijing Opera is a highly nuanced performing art that integrates singing, dialogue, acting, and acrobatic combat. Here Teng has cleverly adjusted the staging and modernized the performances and descriptions of the characters’ inner worlds so that contemporary audiences are better able to experience the solemn and stirring feelings that underpin the film’s vivid tridimensional images.

“Farewell My Concubine: The Beijing Opera” also represents Mainland China’s first film production to combine native 3D photography and Dolby Atmos sound technology. It is the first of several Beijing Operas planned to be filmed in 3D.