The large-scale musical The Song of Grand River, awork ofintangible cultural heritage, was recently staged at Linping Grand Theatre in Hangzhou, marking the official launch of its national tour. It was learned on November 9thfromthe PublicityDepartment of Hequ County Committee in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province.This musical takes the Yellow River culture as its core and integrates three national intangible cultural heritages of Hequ folk songs, Erren Tai, and Hequ River Lantern Festival. It presents the inheritance stories of the people of the Yellow River through modern art forms.

The Song of Grand Riverchronicles the enduring legacy of two generations: He Changge, the "King of Folk Songs," and his daughter He Juanjuan. The musical vividly portrays the rebirth of Hequ folk duets through its journey from flourishing to decline and eventual revival, embodying the indomitable spirit of the people of Yellow River. Skillfully blending elements like Hequ dialect and the iconic River Lantern Festival, the musical intertwines modern stagecraft with intangible cultural heritage.

Xu Haixia, an actress from Hequ who plays He Juanjuan, said, "As a native of Hequ, I feel extremely proud to bring the culture of my hometown to the whole country through this musical." Wu Guang, the actor who plays He Changge and a municipal-level representative inheritor of Hequ folk songs, said, “The Song of Grand Riveris not only an artistic exploration but also a cultural mission. The strong resonance I felt during the performance has further strengthened my responsibility to preserve the heritage.”

The performance received warm responses, with audiences praising its tight and moving plot and stage design rich in Yellow River imagery. A new resident of Hangzhou remarked, “The blend of intangible cultural heritage and modern interpretation is perfectly balanced, maintaining simplicity while embracing contemporary aesthetics.” The audience from Hequ said, "We are extremely proud that the art of our hometown has reached the whole country in a brand-new form."

The performance in Hangzhou has kicked off the musical's national tour. It is learned that the musical will be performed successively in Shanghai, Zhuji, Cixi, Quzhou and other places, conveying the spiritual core of the Yellow River culture with international artistic language and telling the world about the national spirit carried by the Yellow River.