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Sunny Cantonese Opera Troupe will perform two Cantonese opera pieces, "The Magnificently-cloaked General Saves His Country" and "How Liang Hongyu's War Drum Caused the Jin Army to Retreat", to showcase martial arts in October. The programmes are part of the "Chivalry and Valiance in Chinese Opera" Series presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The main cast will include young Cantonese opera artists Li Qiuyuan and Hong Wah.
"The Magnificently-cloaked General Saves His Country" tells a story that takes place during the reign of Emperor Taizong in the Tang Dynasty. A martial arts contest is held to choose a military leader. Qin Huaiyu, son of General Qin Qiong who helped found the regime, meets his match at the contest grounds in the valiant Luo Tong. The Emperor decrees that the winner will be the one who can raise a stone lion with one hand and compose a poem and write it with the other. Huaiyu wins and is given the title of Top Performer in Military Feats. Princess Yinping is attracted to Huaiyu. Later, a northern force invades the border, and the Emperor wants to appoint Yuchi Gong as marshal. Huaiyu feels jealous and takes it out on Yuchi, which makes the two enemies. The Emperor arranges for Princess Yinping to marry Huaiyu. But when his father the general dies, Huaiyu cannot lead the army to war while in mourning. Yuchi suffers defeat on the battlefield, and is trapped in Tiger City together with the Emperor. In view of the dire situation, Huaiyu moves his army on an aiding expedition. But Yuchi, still bearing a grudge against him, refuses to open the city gate to let him and his army in. Huaiyu breaks through four squadrons but is on the verge of defeat. Fortunately, the Princess and Cheng Yaojin arrive in the nick of time and fight off the enemy. The Emperor orders Yuchi to apologise to Huaiyu, and the two finally reconcile their differences. "The Magnificently-cloaked General Saves His Country" will be staged at 7.30pm on October 12 (Monday) at the Theatre of Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre. Tickets are priced at $100 and $180.
"How Liang Hongyu's War Drum Caused the Jin Army to Retreat" takes place during the Southern Song Dynasty. The Song land is invaded by Wushu, the Crown Prince of the northern Jin State. Having enjoyed a period of peace in the south, both Emperor Gaozong and his empress take a conciliatory stance, and send senior minister Wei Liangchen with a letter to negotiate peace. However, Han Shizong, the general stationed in Run Prefecture, and his wife Liang Hongyu want to fight the Jin state. In view of this, Emperor Gaozong cannot but hold back the peace negotiations for the time being. Liang Hongyu leads an army to confront Wushu at the River Jinshan. On the other hand, Han Shizong lures the enemy into an ambush in Huangtiandang. Liang boosts the Han army's morale with her war drum, and the Jin army is utterly defeated in the end. "How Liang Hongyu's War Drum Caused the Jin Army to Retreat" will be staged at 7.30pm on October 13 (Tuesday) at the Auditorium of Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. Tickets are priced at $100, $140 and $180.
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_936.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 14 (Wednesday) at the Function Room, 4/F, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. The speakers will be Li Qiuyuan and Hong Wah. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Monday, August 17, 2015
Issued at HKT 11:40
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