Opening event to blend tradition, tech

The opening ceremony of the 15th National Games will showcase the time-honored history, profound cultural heritage, openness, inclusiveness and economic vitality of the Lingnan — or southern Chinese — region, directors and producers of the sports event said.

During the artistic performance segment of the ceremony, which will integrate traditional Lingnan culture with cutting-edge technology, lion dances will be blended with virtual reality technology and content generated by artificial intelligence; Yingge dances, drums and gongs will be paired with holographic projections; and racing dragon boats will be "rowed" into the audience through augmented reality technology.

"With joint efforts and unity of all creators and performers, we will try to present a wonderful performance," said Lang Kun, chief director of the opening ceremony.

Wang Ruixiang, chief producer of the event, said every work team is busy refining the details, striving to present a splendid audiovisual feast for audiences across the country on the night of the opening ceremony.

As of Thursday, six general rehearsals had been organized to ensure the opening ceremony's success.

The comprehensive rehearsals have fully evaluated all elements, including the pre-ceremony performances, ritual segments, and cultural and sports presentations.

All rehearsals have proceeded in an orderly and seamlessly-coordinated manner, vividly embodying the principle of hosting a "streamlined, safe and splendid" event while showcasing the unique charm of the games, which are being jointly hosted by Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions for the first time.

The opening ceremony will officially kick off at 8 pm on Sunday in the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center in Guangzhou, the provincial capital.

"We aim not just for stellar performances, but also to make every participant feel the warmth of sports and the affinity of culture," said Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, executive producer of the ceremony.

The opening ceremony has ingeniously integrated iconic landmarks, including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macao and Guangzhou's Canton Tower, showcasing the vibrant vitality and connectivity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Meanwhile, aligning with Guangzhou's identity as the "City of Flowers", the creative team has woven the celebration around three core themes: the beauty of technology, the beauty of humanity and the beauty of sport, presenting an opening ceremony that will be a visual spectacle and take viewers on an emotional journey.

University students are planning to put on Lingnan's Early Spring production, which promises to be a stunningly beautiful performance featuring singing, dancing and acting.

Huang Peiling, deputy chief director of the ceremony, said the performers have worked hard to give audiences the impression of "being as one".

Gao Yan, executive director, said the performance is taking a youth-oriented approach, incorporating performances such as ballet, street dance and symphony to resonate with young audiences.

In addition to the well-known traditional elements, including Yueju Opera, Wing Chun and Qilin dance, the opening ceremony stage also served as a vibrant showcase for reinvented cultural symbols drawn from the grassroots. The exquisite patterns of Guangdong embroidery, the radiant shimmer of Canton enamel, and the three-dimensional collage of Chaozhou porcelain cut-out artwork — all of these, through innovative design, are brilliantly reimagined and make a stunning debut.

Qiao Wei, the ceremony's chief contributor, said that the opening ceremony will integrate scattered Lingnan cultural symbols into a "dream-fulfillment" story, showcasing the shared pursuit of a better life among residents of the GBA.

The 15th National Games will take place between Nov 9 and 21.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn