An illuminating start to the
Year of the Roostere Photographs by Patrick Trollope.
AN Ancient Chinese myth will be brought
to life as part of Liverpool's very special Chinese New Year lumiere event.
The City will celebrate the Year of the Rooster, from Friday, 27 January to
Sunday, 29 January 2017, with projections in Chinatown telling the story of
Jingwei and the Ocean.
Lighting up the Chinese Arch, the Black-E and The Arch (formerly known as the
Scandinavian Hotel) for an hour each night, the beautiful lumiere creation will
be based on the story of the an emperor's daughter who, after perishing at sea,
transformed into a bird and endeavoured to fill the ocean with twigs and stones
to prevent anyone else from meeting the same fate.
The story will be adapted to showcase how Chinatowns in Liverpool, and around
the world, have developed from the seeds sown and the pebbles laid by the
earliest Chinese settlers, and how these small 'islands' have developed into the
vibrant and diverse communities we see today.
The twelve minute show will run on a loop for an hour on Friday and Saturday
nights, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm and on the Sunday it will be on display, from 5om
to 6pm.
Digital experts Illuminos are behind the lumiere creations, having previously
worked in the City on the hugely successful projections which lit up Liverpool's
Central Library when it reopened in 2013.
Illuminos artist, Rob Vale, said:- "We're thrilled to be providing the
video projection element of this year's celebrations. It's already been a
fascinating project, working closely with Pagoda Arts, 1st Take and others to
weave together many celebratory elements of the Chinese community in Liverpool
into a light and sound spectacle. There's a real passion from them in sharing
their stories and traditions with Liverpool as a whole, and the projections will
hopefully make this happen in a way that is totally new. The piece will be
a really exciting mix of elements, playing with aspects of traditional Chinese
shadow puppetry, mixed with specially filmed characters from the Chinese
community, and blended with wonderful music from the Pagoda Youth Orchestra.
It's a beautiful story about determination, new beginnings and nurture."
The soundtrack to the show is a specially commissioned piece by Jah Wobble with
members of the Pagoda Youth Orchestra performing on the track.
Director of Pagoda Arts, Zi Lan Liao, said:- "The Pagoda Chinese Youth
Orchestra is privileged to be working with Jah Wobble on the soundtrack for this
project. We are also delighted that MC Jin is recording with us, he is a Miami
born rapper recognized as the first Asian-American rapper to be signed by a
major record label. So many of our older members and ex-members are his fans,
and we know he is an icon to Chinese youngsters across the world. I'm also proud
of the fact that one of the members of our orchestra, Chi Chi who is 18, has
composed the track for MC Jin to record, so undoubtedly this show will be yet
another unforgettable legacy for the Youth Orchestra."
Across the weekend, people can also take part in a specially created augmented
reality trail which will take people on a tour through some amazing moments in
Chinese cultural history in Liverpool and beyond. These include the story of
football player and manager Frank Soo who was brought up in Liverpool, the role
of Chinese sailors who replaced British sailors called up to the Navy and the
origins of the game Mahjong which is played at the City's Seeyap Centre.
The traditional Chinese New Year celebrations will also take place, on Sunday,
29 January 2017, with a series of street performances, family workshops, art
installations, parades and of course the popular Chinese market on George Street
selling gifts, souvenirs and mouth watering food.
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor
Wendy Simon, said:- "Chinese New Year is always a fantastic way to kick
off our events calendar and this year will be extra special as not only are we
trying something new, the celebrations are also extended. We are always looking
to do things a bit differently with our events and working in partnership with
Illuminos gives us the opportunity to tell the story of our Chinese community in
an incredibly special way. Whenever we incorporate light projections in any of
our activities they are hugely popular, and the combination of these special
Chinatown landmarks being lit up as well as the usual mix of street
performances, entertainment and markets will make it an unforgettable Chinese
New Year for all involved."
The family friendly excitement kicks off from 11am, with the programme which is
as follows in Great George Square:-
► 11.00am to 11.30am - Pagoda Arts ? Flower
Drums and Fan Tai Chi.
► 11.35am to 12.15pm - Kwong Tam School of Tai
Chi (in association with See Yep Association)
► 12.20pm to 12.35pm - Wah Sing - Traditional
Chinese Dance and Song.
► 12.35pm to 1:00pm - Pagoda Arts ? Dance, Tai
Chi, Happy Dance!
► 1.00pm to 2:00pm - Firecracker Display ? Lucky
Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parade arrives.
► 2.05pm to 2.20pm - Hung Gar Kung Fu School ?
Martial Arts Demonstration.
► 2.30pm to 3.15pm - Kwong Tam School of Tai Chi
(in association with See Yep Association)
► 3.20pm to 4.30pm - Liverpool Confucius
Institute performing a programme of Beijing Chinese Opera in partnership with
the Everyman and Playhouse.
► 5.00pm to 6.00pm - Chinese New Year lumiere ?
Jingwei and the Ocean
In the run up to the weekend of celebrations, thousands of lanterns will also
illuminate Bold Street and Chinatown thanks to the support of the Liverpool BID.
For more information about timings, activities, family workshops or the
projections, visit:-
CultureLiverpool.Com/CNY.
In Southport, the Empire Restaurant on Nevill Street, will be
holding a special Chinese New Year party, that will take place on 1 February
2017. It will feature a Lion Dance, both inside and outside the building.
Plus they will offer customers a free raffle ticket! The evening starts at
7:30pm and the display outside, that will be free for public to watch outside
the venue, will be around 9pm. please note that a temporary road closure
will be in effect during the outside display. To book tickets to see the
inside display and to get your place at the banquet, go to the restaurant today
or call them on:- 01704 547 718.
Why not
see if your lover is a match on the Chinese Zodiac, by using our Chinese Zodiac
Compatibility Game.... Click on
here now!
To see our coverage from last years Chinese New Year party in
Liverpool, click on
here to
see our full photographic coverage.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
