Geometric formations appear in all of Zhang's stage productions. They can be awe-inspiring, but also lyrical if needed.

The eight-minute segment, directed by Zhang Yimou, at the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympics. [China Daily]

The dance numbers in Impression Lijiang often feature hundreds of performers. Not everyone likes this kind of group calisthenics or its variations, but it is visually direct and speaks a universal language. Of course, what Zhang concocts will be more artful than what we saw 30 to 40 years ago.

Stunning colors can be found in most of Zhang Yimou's movies, such as Curse of the Golden Flower. File photo The emphasis on the collective over the individual is not only his preference but also a necessity. How can he highlight solo artists without offending the vast number of artists of similar stature?

However, while the live audience will be astonished by the sheer size of the spectacle, the television screen will need a few close-ups. That's when cute girls in miniskirts playing erhu can be zoomed in on, as he did for the eight-minute segment at the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympics.

Stunning colors can be found in most of Zhang Yimou's movies, such as Curse of the Golden Flower. [China Daily]

China's richness in culture presents a problem: How to boil down the endless varieties into a manageable sampling? What will be considered essential and representative?

He has too much material and his headache is how to whittle down the long list of choices. But the big challenge is how to avoid clichs and retain freshness when faced with domestic and overseas audiences, who may have diametrically opposed expectations.

I have confidence that Zhang will serve up an abundance of crescendos with acrobatic stunts and large crowds, which will set your heart pulsating. What I worry about are the quiet moments necessary to balance the grandness with breathing space. Zen tranquility and Taoist non-action may not be appreciated by the billions of viewers who form the lowest common denominator in taste.

It is easy to crystallize a local or ethnic culture into a consistent style - just look at Zhang's Impression series of live shows at scenic attractions - but China is too diverse. And showcasing diversity may spiral into a laundry list of symbols and totems.

By temperament, Zhang is a child of northern China, with constant restraint punctuated by emotional outbursts, which have found an ideal outlet in excessive use of bright colors and folk elements. He is not as familiar to the southern style of grace and atmospheric creation, something often seen in a traditional Chinese painting or poem.

The show will feature hi-tech wizardry and it will have eye-catching scenes galore.

But will it have originality? Will it please the home audience as well as those who know little about China? Will it leave a lasting impression?

We'd have to wait until the fat lady sings.