This original musical drama brings Wang Luobin’s music and life back to the stage, blending emotion, history, and song into a moving theatrical experience.

“Love Songs” — The Romantic and Legendary Life of the Western Folk Music King Wang Luobin

Written by: Zou Jingzhi
Directed and Starring: Zhang Guoli
Dragon Horse Society’s First Original Musical Drama
Realism as the Foundation, Extreme Romanticism as the Aesthetic Expression

“Love Songs” is a stage play created based on the life of Wang Luobin.
He always referred to himself as “the singer of Western folk songs,” rescuing dusty melodies lost in the wind, polishing them, and returning them to time itself.

The script is crafted with the essence of time and true emotion. Zou Jingzhi meticulously researched historical records, from the wartime scenery of Beiping (now Beijing) to the fieldwork of collecting Western folk songs. His writing brings the characters vividly to life, while also capturing the atmosphere and essence of the entire era.

Director and lead actor Zhang Guoli immerses himself fully in the role, embodying a Wang Luobin tempered by hardships, whose voice conveys the soul, whose childlike heart preserves truth—a Wang Luobin both fiery in life and eternally youthful.

The stage is filled with both song and emotion. Throughout his life, Wang Luobin experienced the storms of the times but never lost his original intention. Listening sincerely to the music of the land, he created deeply moving works that became immortal. From the heartfelt gaze of “In That Distant Place”, to the unique sentiments of “Youthful Dance”, and the haunting allure of “The Girl from Dabancheng”—ten classic songs intertwine with emotions, resonating profoundly with the audience.

From text to stage, the performance is a labor of love. The golden duo of Zou Jingzhi and Zhang Guoli, who have collaborated for over thirty years, fuse a lifetime of artistic insight, deep understanding, and shared resonance with an artist who devoted his life to truth and song, presenting a poetic and visually exquisite theatrical experience. The love songs warm hearts and touch souls.

Synopsis

In his twilight years, Wang Luobin immerses himself in the river of memories. Time and space overlap—his younger self in Beiping nurturing musical ideals, the beautiful figures he encounters during travels, the steadfast friends through turbulent years, and a kindred spirit of a female writer through letters in his later years. They traverse time, appear in succession, and converse with him, question him, and reconcile.

From Beiping to the northwest, from the smoke of battle to musical scores, from one person to a generation—every moment of time converges, and all emotions intersect here. Accompanied by flowing song, the music and dance bloom fully, carrying the deep emotions of years and imprinting the warmth of the era.