The Ulan Muqir Art Troupe performed on May 16 and 17 at Beijing's Poly Theater. (Photo : China Daily)
What started out as a troupe of nine young musicians in the 1950s has become a household name in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Such is the success of the Ulan Muqir Art Troupe, which tours remote villages in and around the vast region, performing traditional Mongolian music for nomadic families.
"I can still recall the days when I toured with the troupe in the early '80s. We sat on the back of pickup trucks for hours. The sky was blue, and we couldn't help but sing the folk songs," shared 54-year-old Nasun, a renowned tenor who serves as the art troupe's president.
"Being from the region allowed me to embrace the culture of Inner Mongolia and being a member of the troupe showed me where I belonged," he said in an interview with China Daily.
Despite performing for Inner Mongolia's nomadic families, Ulan Muqir, which translates as "red burgeon," has gained popularity around the world.
The art troupe performed their biggest show yet on May 16 and 17 at Beijing's Poly Theater. Around 100 singers and dancers from the group performed Mongolian music and dance in traditional Mongolian clothes. The show was titled "Ulan Muqir on the Grassland."
Due to Inner Mongolia's vastness and lack of entertainment options, nomadic families can't help but look forward to the day when the art troupe would come by their village to perform.
"The nomadic people were very excited about our visits. We didn't have a formal stage. The audience just sat on the grass. Usually, the performances became a big party with local people joining in," said Nasun.
The art troupe has 74 branch troupes scattered all over Inner Mongolia. They perform approximately 100 shows a year to the region's local nomadic people.
