French artistic director makes Chinese ancient town aglow with fireworks

Sophie Poirier (L) talks with Zeng Ming, general manager of Wanzai Kaleidoscope Culture and Tourism Company, about a fireworks drama in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Yunuo)

Sophie Poirier, a French artistic director of Wanzai Kaleidoscope Culture and Tourism Company, has been obsessed with Chinese culture since she was a child. In her childhood, she often fantasized that she was a Chinese princess.

In 1991, as a designer of ECA2, a well-known French large-scale event maker, Poirier went to the Beijing Amusement Park and brought her very first dreamlike laser water curtain film to the Chinese audience. She has also designed performances for many well-known tourist destinations.

Though Poirier has extensive experience in performance design, she fell in love with the small stage of Wanzai, an ancient town with nearly a 1,400-year history of producing fireworks, following a collaboration invitation of Zeng Ming, general manager of Wanzai Kaleidoscope Culture and Tourism Company. Poirier teamed up with Zeng's company to develop fireworks drama shows, which integrate fireworks, local characteristic culture and new media application into a distinctive cultural mark for the Wanzai scenic spot. She even adopted modern lighting settings and special effects equipment to create an immersive art experience for the audience.

Her innovation once attracted up to over 50,000 tourists to enjoy the firework feast in Wanzai. Poirier's fireworks drama "Love of Fireworks" has become Wanzai's major magnet for its visitors.

Chinese firework brands were once rare to see in Europe, but now they can be spotted in many large-scale competitions and events there, Poirier recalled. She hopes to create more splendid firework shows with Chinese characteristics and let more people know about Wanzai fireworks.

Sophie Poirier walks in Wanzai ancient town in east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

Sophie Poirier works at her studio in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

Sophie Poirier watches the fireworks drama "Love of Fireworks" in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

Sophie Poirier (front) talks with colleagues about the design of a fireworks drama in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

Sophie Poirier (L) watches the fireworks drama "Love of Fireworks" in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

Sophie Poirier (L) talks with a local resident at a teahouse in Wanzai ancient town, east China's Jiangxi Province, May 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sui Shangjun)

This photo taken on Dec. 1, 2022 shows an installation designed by Sophie Poirier for a fireworks show. (Xinhua)