BAIC Senova's "The Great Wall" 2017 Performance Season: Water Cube Collector's Edition Kicks Off

This summer at the Water Cube, it's all about "Attraction."

6At 19:30 on the evening of June 29, the large-scale audiovisual resident show — BAIC Senova's "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" 2017 Water Cube Collector's Edition — was spectacularly staged at the National Aquatics Center, officially launching the sixth season of BAIC Senova's "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction."

75The exhilarating 75-minute performance made audiences forget whether they were in the midst of a vibrant natural landscape or the sweltering capital of Beijing. When all the performers took to the stage to take their bows, the audience was still immersed in the intense drama that had just unfolded — the stunning giant water screen, the daring aerial wirework, the dazzling laser effects, the thrill of high-dives from 20 meters above, the immersive beauty of glasses-free 3D, and the excitement of waterborne flying devices. The seamless integration of captivating performances and storyline, along with the dynamic alternation between various stages and perspectives, kept the audience enthralled and cheering for more.

It is reported that this year's performance season will run from June 29 through July 30, featuring a total of 20 shows every Thursday to Sunday evening. In addition, during the performance season, interactive experience activities based on real scenes from "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" will be held from 15:00 to 18:00 every Monday to Wednesday afternoon within the Water Cube’s performance stage area — a total of 36 sessions — inviting visitors to explore behind the scenes of the main stage and uncover the stories hidden within.

    1A 75-minute spectacular redefines the audiovisual experience

After six consecutive years of meticulous refinement, BAIC Senova's "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" has pioneered a large-scale audiovisual resident show in China that perfectly blends "theater" and "spectacle," and is also the only such show performed as a resident production at both the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube, two Olympic venues.

"In 2017, BAIC Senova's 'The Bird’s Nest · Attraction' (Water Cube Collector's Edition) continues to draw upon and integrate the classic elements and experiences from the previous five seasons. Compared to earlier editions, this season’s storyline is more concise and compact. The performance retains beloved elements that audiences have consistently praised — such as the giant water screen, aerial wirework, high-dives, glasses-free 3D, laser effects, waterborne flying devices, and synchronized swimming. As the Water Cube Collector's Edition, this year’s production team aims to bring out the finest details and will record the entire performance in 3D, which will be showcased comprehensively in the future at both the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube," said director Liu Hao.

The Water Cube Collector's Edition of "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" further embodies the essence of "water" at the venue, highlighting the design concept of "the highest goodness is like water." On stage, multi-layered and multi-angle uses of water elements — including fan-shaped water screens, circular water curtains, fog forests, and water columns — convey a dynamic and diverse visual beauty. "This year we’ve widened the circular water curtain and broken new height records with the central water column, while also adding interactions between the fog forest and lasers," Liu Hao explained.

During the performance, audiences can witness the circular water curtain gushing forth from the roof of the Water Cube venue, instantly forming a massive transparent cylinder of rain in the center of the stage. The dreamlike lighting cast upon it is both fantastical and romantic, leaving spectators in awe. Creative fan-shaped water screens, rising fountain matrices, drifting mist forests, and cool vertical water jets — these series of water-based displays artfully align with the storyline, delivering a refreshing and thrilling audiovisual experience in the midst of summer heat.

Water screen lasers use the screens on both sides of the stage as projection surfaces, employing the versatility of lasers to outline vivid images of flowers and birds, enhancing the depth and mystery of the scenes. Musical lasers coordinate with the show’s musical layers, using a combination of pinpoint and broad lighting techniques to create visual impacts that are either elegant, stirring, or sorrowful. The most innovative special-effect lasers work in tandem with the actors’ performances to convey stage narratives such as "the fury of the color demon," "time travel," and "reverse time flow."

"The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" has been performed every summer for six consecutive years. In addition to attracting nearly one million attendees, the production has also drawn the participation of numerous renowned actors. This season’s Collector's Edition not only features the veteran "iron triangle" of Yu Yueyue, Zheng Qiyuan, and Zuo Wei, but also welcomes back Han Yibo, who has appeared in two consecutive seasons, along with fresh talent such as accomplished actors Zaxidongzhu, Zhang Hao, and Xi Siriguleng. Each performer brings their distinctive style, offering audiences a varied and memorable experience.

This year, "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" has created a wealth of signature musical numbers inspired by the theme of "water," utilizing 15 songs to portray the inner emotions of the characters, thereby guiding the audience to experience shifts in the personalities of the characters through the transitions of the music themes. Among these, the trio sung by the three leads is a highlight of the show. Their simultaneous vocals express distinct yet resonant emotional attitudes, with intense conflicts and entanglements that are profoundly moving, celebrating truth and beauty.

    3636 Interactive Activities Offer a Closer Look at "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" Main Stage

The dazzling performance stage of "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" has always been a source of mystery and surprise for audiences.

2017"The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" makes full use of the Water Cube space, installing five staggered LED screens covering a total of 1,200 square meters on the south side, vividly displaying video effects such as forests, waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanoes. In terms of stage design, it emphasizes the thematic duality of humans versus demons, with the edge of the central stage pool perfectly shaped like two facing cheeks, outlined in light to create a powerful visual tension that enriches the narrative. The minimum distance between the central stage and the interactive audience area is just 1.5 meters, greatly enhancing the visual experience. Moreover, the designs for aerial wirework, the second-level platform, the ground central stage, the eastern diving board, and the western "Little Waist" all contribute to a distinct layered experience across land, water, and air performance spaces.

To allow the public to get up close and personal with the stage of "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction," and to maximize the utility of the Water Cube’s competition hall space, enriching the cultural significance of Water Cube tourism, the organizers have specially arranged the BAIC Senova "Love" Journey — "Attraction Space" event. This is a real-scene interactive experience activity launched during the performance intermissions at the Water Cube, combining the "great love" theme of "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction" with BAIC’s public welfare initiatives.

According to reports, this activity will be open to Water Cube visitors from July 3 to July 30, every Monday to Wednesday afternoon from 15:00 to 18:00, with three sessions per day, each lasting 30 minutes — a total of 36 sessions.

This event utilizes the main stage and spectator seating areas of the Water Cube’s competition hall for "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction," allowing audiences to witness the spectacular "Attraction Space" stage lighting show on-site and experience the charm of the stage. After enjoying the light show, spectators in the stands can sign up on-site, complete a safety waiver, and then, under staff guidance, step onto the main stage to learn about the fascinating stories behind "Attraction," participate in interactive activities, take photos with iconic characters and props from "The Bird’s Nest · Attraction," explore the main stage up close, and experience its unique stage magic firsthand.