11 Opera House and Opera Festival Directors from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) visited Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM) during 22-25 October 2018.
The delegation visited ZJCM campus first, and then met with Prof. Yang Jiuhua, a Vice President of ZJCM on the morning of 23 October. Then the directors enjoyed a dress rehearsal of Macedonian choreographer Risima Risimkin's Sequences at the Dance Theatre of ZJCM, followed by warm discussion about cultural cooperation between China and CEEC with Risima who traced her bond with China back to a CEEC dancers' visit in China several years ago. After a seminar with ZJCM's Vocal and Opera Department in the afternoon, the delegation enjoyed a Chinese opera concert performed by teachers of the Department in the evening.
All the directors visited Zhejiang Song and Dance Theatre on 24 October.
Their trip continued in Beijing, Shanghai, and Fujian after their stay in Hangzhou.
Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Opera House and Opera Festival Directors Visit 2018 is a project hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China, and organized by ZJCM, which aims at promoting cultural exchange between China and CEEC, endorsing the Hangzhou Declaration for Cooperation between China and CEEC. This visit of the delegation improved the mutual understanding in opera between China and CEEC, encouraged further communication and cooperation of opera professionals, opera houses, related educational and research institutions from the two sides, and cultivated collaboration projects in near future.