As the lights dimmed and the songs lingered, the original Shanxi folk opera Ode to Taihang concluded successfully at the Shanxi Grand Theatre on the evenings of June 28 and 29. This revival, upgraded with special funding from the Shanxi Art Fund, debuted a brand‑new version. Its gripping plot, powerful singing, and immersive stage presentation deeply moved the audience, offering a literary and artistic tribute to the revolutionary years and a heartfelt salute to the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.

The opera traces the life of an ordinary village girl, Li Ziqing, telling her story of struggling through hardship, awakening amid the flames of war, and firmly holding onto her faith through trials. The urgency of delivering supplies to the front, the anxiety of rescuing the wounded, the resolve of defending their homes, and the solemnity of answering the nation's call – these four narrative threads unfold layer by layer, each carrying a distinctly different emotional intensity and lighting requirement. The "Taihang flower," which runs throughout the opera, grows from cracks in cliffs and stands firm against wind and frost – this spiritual symbol needs to be repeatedly highlighted and carried through the changing colors of light. Li Ziqing's spiritual transformation from confusion to determination requires lighting to delicately follow every turn in her singing and every shift in her expression. Faced with such complex scheduling demands, a powerful and precise lighting control system becomes the true backbone of the stage narrative.

The TEKMAND III console and the TEKMAND DPU 16P Distributed Processing Unit worked in tandem, serving as the lighting control hub behind this red‑themed opera. The TEKMAND III console features a user‑friendly interface combining touchscreen and buttons, enabling complex real‑time control through simple, intuitive interaction. The console handles 8,192 parameters on its own, allowing every fixture, every dimmer change, and every color switch on stage to be precisely programmed and instantly responsive. As the plot reaches its climax with Li Ziqing answering the nation's call, the lighting system must simultaneously track the character with follow‑spots, wash the stage with a solemn atmosphere, and sharply frame the "Taihang flower" symbol with dedicated cuts – all within the same second. The TEKMAND III handles these demands with millisecond response, ensuring the rhythm of light and shadow aligns perfectly with the emotional rhythm.

Additionally, the console's built‑in stage simulation module supports offline pre‑programming. The creative team can design lighting layouts in advance based on the emotional nodes of the script before entering the theater, greatly reducing on‑site programming time and allowing the limited rehearsal period to focus on artistic refinement.

Working in efficient synergy, the TEKMAND DPU 16P Distributed Processing Unit integrates signal distribution, amplification, data switching, and computing. Its output follows the USITT DMX 512‑A protocol. When used with the lighting console, its 16 DMX output ports handle 16,384 parameters, effectively sharing the console's computing and output load. Throughout the two‑hour performance, the lighting control system remained rock‑solid, ensuring every beam of light landed precisely where the drama needed it.

As the Taihang flowers bloom across the stage, and as the folk melodies transcend time through the singing, the FINE ART TEKMAND system stands behind the scenes, commanding the myriad lights and shadows. It not only orchestrates every turning point in Li Ziqing's personal fate but also directs the grand spectacle of the Taihang people united in heart and purpose.