Expertise takes center stage
The preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games began in 2020.Since then, as the executive producer for these four large-scale events, Wu spent most of her time in Hangzhou.
"We worked on hundreds of plans, with numerous modifications to themes, stage designs, and other things," Wu recalls, adding that for all four performances, they also prepared an alternative set of plans in case of extreme weather conditions.
"Our advantage as a directing team responsible for all four ceremonies was that we could highlight the distinct features of each. Our aim was to vividly showcase the elements of Hangzhou that we wanted to present, such as osmanthus flowers, tea, and other aspects. We worked to achieve perfection in the presentation of each element," Wu says.
Although the four performances took place at the same venue, Wu explained that changes in stage design, visual effects, and the participants created different experiences for the audience. "For the Asian Games closing ceremony, we created a grand garden, while for the Asian Para Games closing ceremony, we designed a performance that was very pure, in the hopes that everyone could quietly feel the beauty in people with disabilities," Wu adds.
