A Chinese opera star’s ode to Russia—from a Ukrainian bomb site
Wang Fang’s performance highlights divisions in China
It looked like a spontaneous tribute to Russia. Standing in the bombed-out shell of a theatre in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, a Chinese opera singer, Wang Fang, belted out a Soviet-era ballad (pictured). In March last year many Ukrainian civilians were killed in a Russian attack on the building. So when a video of the 38-year-old’s performance this month circulated online, it sparked a furore. Unlike their government, some Chinese people prefer to side with Ukraine.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Singing in the ruin”
From the September 16th 2023 edition
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