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Zhao Qun Ying Cantonese Opera Troupe will stage three classic Cantonese operas, namely "Beauty in Disguise", "The Rescue of My Beauty" and "Armoured Horses and Silver Marriage", in October. Performers at the shows will include Cantonese virtuosi Liang Zhaoming, Wong Chiu-kwan, Leung Wai-hong, Lui Hung-kwong, Kwok Kai-fai, Ko Lai, Pui Chun-hin and Song Hungbo.
"Beauty in Disguise" tells the story of Ye Qiuping, the daughter of a prime minister. To avenge injustices against her father, Qiuping uses a pseudonym - Chunjiao - and serves in a marshal's house in the disguise of a silly maid. Qiuping adores the marshal's sixth son, Meng Yi, who frequently teases her for her plain look. When the Huns invade China, the marshal leads his troops to the frontier and Meng volunteers to be on the front lines. He makes a bet with Chunjiao that he will marry her if he is defeated. Meng's troops are ambushed and, at a critical moment, Qiuping appears and repels the enemy. Back in the camp, Meng is sentenced to death for his failure in the mission. Qiuping comes and discloses her identity to the marshal and pleads with the marshal to have Meng and others help her fight the enemy in compensation for his failure. After they succeed in defeating the Huns, the marshal commands the marriage as Meng has promised. Meng resents marrying Chunjiao under the command of the marshal. He then orders his servant Dayong to spend the night with her. Fortunately, Qiuping finds out about the trick. The next day, when Meng returns to the bridal chamber, Qiuping reveals that she was Chunjiao all along and punishes Meng for his arrogance by claiming that she has slept with Dayong. Finally, with the truth out in the open, the two perform their wedding ceremony and become a happy couple. "Beauty in Disguise" will be staged at 7.30pm on October 4 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets are priced at $100, $160, $200 and $260.
In "The Rescue of My Beauty", the Goddess He Xiangu foresees the misfortune of Fan Tianpeng and intends to save Fan from it. She then disguises herself as a countrywoman to test Fan's integrity. In Jiangnan, a village is frequently haunted by a white python, the demon of the black sea, and the villagers have to offer a beauty to it as a sacrifice on its birthday for the good of the village. Driven by righteous indignation, Fan decides to rescue victim-to-be Bing Xin from the white python. However, as Bing Xin rejects the marriage, she is locked up by the white python. Moved by the love between Fan and Bing Xin, He Xiangu gives four talismans to Fan, sending him to rescue Bing Xin and exterminate the demon. "The Rescue of My Beauty" will be staged at 7.30pm on October 10 (Saturday) at the Auditorium of Yuen Long Theatre. Tickets are priced at $100, $180 and $240.
"Armoured Horses and Silver Marriage" tells a story set near the end of the Yuan dynasty, when warlords have divided China into many parts. Three of the lords are so powerful that they overshadow the rest: Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng. Chen intends to marry Princess Yingping to Zhang Shicheng's son, Zhang Ren, hoping to create an alliance with Zhang in order to defeat Zhu. Unfortunately, Zhu kidnaps Zhang Ren en route to his rendezvous with the princess and kills him. He then orders his warrior Hua Yunlong to impersonate Zhang Ren and marry the princess. Zhu schemes to plant a spy to infiltrate Chen's camp. Despite the fact that Yunlong and Yingping fall deeply in love with each other, Yunlong still has to fulfil his duty to Zhu as a spy in Chen's camp. He conspires with Zhu to lure Chen and his army into an ambush where Chen is killed. When Princess Yingping discovers the plot, she vows to avenge her father's death and leads an army all the way to Jinling City. Yingping challenges Yunlong to a duel. Finally, Yingping overpowers and defeats Yunlong but spares his life. Wounded, she then flees the scene. Yunlong follows the trail of blood and finds Yingping inside an old abandoned temple. The two pour out their hearts to each other and decide to run away. Later Yingping and Yunlong learn of Chen's deceitful plot from Yunlong's sister Hua Yunfeng and Chen's top general Zhang Dingbian and the truth is revealed. The group then decides to fight with Zhu in his quest to conquer the central plain of China. "Armoured Horses and Silver Marriage" will be staged at 7.30pm on October 11 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Tai Po Civic Centre. Tickets are priced at $100, $160 and $220.
The programme is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It is one of the programmes in the "Chivalry and Valiance in Chinese Opera" Series. Tickets are now available at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients are available on a first-come, first-served basis).
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/program_932.html. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
A post-performance talk (in Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on October 12 (Monday) at AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers are Liang Zhaoming and Wong Chiu-kwan. Admission is free. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Monday, August 10, 2015
Issued at HKT 10:30
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