On the evening of September 15, under the guidance of the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions, the Shanghai Radio and Television Station's Integrated Media Center hosted the ear-focused poetry event “Listen to My Night Song on the Boat” at the Shanghai Sea Gull Reign Hotel. Due to the impact of Typhoon “Bebinca,” the poetry event originally planned for the terrace was moved indoors to the banquet hall. Nevertheless, over ten news anchors from the Integrated Media Center's ear-focused team joined renowned poet and critic Zhang Dinghao, the team’s literary advisor, and famous singer Luo Xiaoluo to present an engaging and culturally rich feast for the audience.
The live performance of the ear-focused poetry event “Listen to My Night Song on the Boat”
May we live long and share the moon, with poetry as our bond while the night persists.
At the site of “Listen to My Night Song on the Boat,” the anchors recited classic poems and famous works centered around the four main themes: “the Curved Moon,” “the Pains of Love,” “Moonlight in the City,” and “Stories of Late Autumn.” They read excerpts from Chen Mengjia’s “Night Song on the Boat,” Haizi’s “Haizi's Nocturne,” Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” (excerpt), Neruda’s “Here I Love You,” and Dai Wangshu’s “Worries,” among other classics. The audience was immersed in the event, experiencing the unique charm of poetry and literature, and feeling the special atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Guided by the enchanting melodies, they sometimes gently caressed the railings of poetry; at other times, they found themselves swaying in the boat of song; they witnesses the heartfelt exchanges between Romeo and Juliet; and at times, they soared into the sky, gazing at the vast full moon amidst a brilliant star map.
Centered around themes like the Mid-Autumn Festival and the moon, the ear-focused anchors not only emotionally interpreted the famous passages of poetry but Im Huirong, Huang Hao, Wang Xing, and Liu Ye also uniquely recited writer Cheng Naishan’s piece “Blue Mid-Autumn” in the Shanghai dialect. The vocal expression of the four anchors not only expanded the innovative form of dialect recitation but also vividly portrayed the distinctive elegance of Shanghai literature. When the audience heard “Romeo and Juliet,” many felt puzzled about the connection between Shakespeare's work and the Mid-Autumn Festival. It wasn't until Ye Zilong, playing Romeo, swore to the moon that they were captivated by such a clever thematic approach, and after the performance, they couldn't help but shower the cast with praise and warm applause.
Sharing the moon across a thousand miles, expressing feelings through song as the sound remains.
This year's Mid-Autumn poetry event, beyond the poetic recitations, also saw the ear-focused anchors courageously innovating and bringing a heartfelt song to the audience. At the beginning of the poetry event, singer Luo Xiaoluo, together with Lei Xiaoxue, performed “The Curved Moon,” and as the beautiful melody played, the audience found themselves humming along, creating a magical atmosphere that highlighted the unique poetic, emotional, and warm essence of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Additionally, a “girl group” formed by six ear-focused anchors, including Im Huirong, Lei Xiaoxue, Wang Xing, Shi Yan, Zhu Yanan, and Liu Ye, also collaborated to perform a re-arranged classic song, “Moonlight in the City” by Shanghai Light Music Ensemble's chief conductor Yu Jing'an. It is worth mentioning that the female anchors worked on this “new skill” through countless practice sessions, overcoming and mastering the professional challenges of harmony singing, ultimately presenting a complete performance to the audience. Despite the strong winds outside, the soft and healing music at the poetry event illuminated the heart of every audience member like the moonlight that brightens the city.
During the ear-focused poetry event, poet and critic Zhang Dinghao shared insights into how the moon is employed as a symbol in literary works, tying it back to the theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival. He remarked that like love, the moon is something that can hardly be understood. Regardless of the night, it accompanies us in the vast night sky, ensuring that everyone on Earth can behold it. Throughout the history of human civilization, countless poets and scholars have drawn inspiration from the moon, leaving behind a multitude of masterpieces.
At the end of the poetry event, alongside Zhang Ruoxu's famous work “Spring River Flower Moon Night,” all the ear-focused anchors took to the stage, joining the audience in “The Bright Moon Rises over the Ocean.” The sounds of recitation, melodies, and applause resonated throughout the venue, marking this ear-focused poetry event as particularly special and making this Mid-Autumn night unforgettable.
The ear-focused poetry event “Listen to My Night Song on the Boat” will be broadcast on online platforms like Kankan News on the evening of September 17.
