Le Rossignol

The Chinese Nightingale

In the great Chinese Palace lives an emperor who has never been outside the palace walls. He isn’t aware that next to his beautiful garden is a deep and dark forest. But one day, he hears the magnificent song of a Nightingale coming from the forest. He orders his servants to bring the bird to him. The melodious bird becomes the symbol of ‘inaccessible freedom’ and is instantly revered by the monarch and his courtiers. One day, Japan donates a mechanical bird with precious stones to the emperor. Seduced by the idea to be able to control his gift, the emperor chases away the real nightingale. But after a while, the machine starts to falter and misfortune besets the emperor and his empire who now live in silence. Only when the real nightingale returns, the Emperor gets the chance to pull himself together. A reflection on the relationship between man and machine is never far away during this tale. We are invited to ask questions about the consequences of technological progress. The compositions of Jean Jadin, sung or performed on the piano, illustrate the various emotions of the story.

Flagey, Jeunesses Musicales de Bruxelles