On October 24, the Paris Polychrome Children’s Choir arrived in Haikou, Hainan Province, from the “City of Romance,” as part of their cultural exchange journey titled “The Friendship Bridge of Sino-French Children’s Choirs.”
In May of this year, the Wuzhishan Li and Miao Children’s Choir traveled to France to foster cultural ties, performing the song “Singing Wuzhishan to France” in Paris and sharing the stage with the Paris Polychrome Children’s Choir. This cooperation built a bridge of friendship through music. Now, after five months, the Paris choir has been invited to Hainan, and the two children’s choirs will come together for their first performance under the theme of “Harmony of Friendship.”
As the members of the Paris Polychrome Children’s Choir stepped out of the Haikou Meilan International Airport on the afternoon of October 24, they were greeted by local artists playing the traditional Li instrument, the nose flute, with the song “Long Time No See,” welcoming the distant guests.
Elisabeth Trigo, the conductor and artistic director of the Paris Polychrome Children’s Choir, expressed her excitement, saying, “It’s the children’s first time in Hainan, and we are thrilled and very excited.” She mentioned that they had prepared numerous pieces, including both Chinese and French songs. “One of the songs is the well-known ‘If I Go to China.’ This song has already filled the kids with anticipation for their visit.”
During their stay, the two choirs will perform three concerts at the Hainan Provincial Song and Dance Theatre, Hainan University, and Maona Village in Wuzhishan City.
Founded in 1994, the Paris Polychrome Children’s Choir is made up of over 40 children aged between 7 and 15. They have performed in countries like the UK, Italy, and Switzerland and participated in renowned productions such as the opera “Carmen,” the musical “The Lord of the Rings,” and the fairy tale drama “Alice in Wonderland.”
