Chinese Opera Festival to start in June with jubilant repertoire
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The Festival will showcase nine programmes with 29 stage performances covering 10 Chinese operatic genres. They include jubilant works of Peking opera and Cantonese opera; Kunqu opera and Yue opera plays with new elements; Wu opera, featuring both civil and martial scenes; Sichuan opera filled with vibrant regional flavour; and regional operas of Shaanxi Province featuring uniquely vibrant music.
The two leading Peking opera troupes in China, the Peking Opera Theatre of Beijing and the First Troupe of the China National Peking Opera Company, will join forces in the remarkable opening programme "Peking Opera Gala" and delight the audience with a star-studded cast.
The Number One Troupe of the Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group will stage the all-time classic "The Dream of the Red Chamber", "The Double-pearl Phoenix Hairpin" (new edition) and "Bronze Bird Terrace" in a new adaption. The versatile actress Fang Yafen will be playing the heroine in all three operas.
The Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre of Jiangsu will perform noted author Pai Hsien-yung's work "The White Silk Gown" (new edition) as one of the highlights. The lead performer will be Yu Jiulin.
Tang Yuen-ha of Hong Kong's Jingkun Theatre will partner with the Shandong Peking Opera Theatre and seasoned artists Li Yusheng and Lu Yongchang in "The Battle of Changban Po" and other Peking and Kunqu opera excerpts.
There will be two Cantonese opera programmes. The Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong will bring together local Cantonese opera performers to stage auspicious pieces, namely "Enlightenment of the Goddess of Mercy", "Grand Birthday Celebration at Mount Heung Fa", "Blessing by the God of Fortune" and "Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father". Another attraction is a new Cantonese opera, "Battle of the Throne", set in the Ming dynasty and featuring illustrious Cantonese opera artists Lee Lung, Nam Fung and Yuen Siu-fai.
As for regional genres, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre will stage "Mu Guiying" and other excerpts. Diva of Sichuan opera and three-time Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre winner Shen Tiemei will lead the Chongqing Chuan Theatre in "Li Yaxian" and other excerpts. The Shaanxi Traditional Opera Research Institute will put on performances by Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre winners and showcase a great variety of regional genres from Shaanxi Province while the century-old preeminent Xi'an Yisu Society will for the first time perform in Hong Kong to showcase the time-honoured beauty of Shaanxi opera.
Details of the performances are as follows:
Opening Programme - Peking Opera Gala: Peking Opera Theatre of Beijing and First Troupe of the China National Peking Opera Company
June 13 to 18 Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre
June 23 and 24 Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall
June 25 Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall
Celebrating the Reunification with Cantonese Opera Classics by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong
June 30 to July 2 Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Jingkun Theatre and Shandong Peking Opera Theatre - Three Maestros in Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera
July 8 and 9 Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre
Chongqing Chuan Theatre
July 15 and 16 Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Shaanxi Traditional Opera Research Institute and Xi'an Yisu Society
July 21 to 23 Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Number One Troupe of the Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group
August 3 to 5 Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
New Cantonese opera "Battle of the Throne"
August 4 and 5 Theatre, Ko Shan Theatre
August 6 Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre
Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre of Jiangsu
August 11 to 13 Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Tickets priced from $120 to $450 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999.
For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.cof.gov.hk.
In addition to stage performances, this year's Chinese Opera Festival will include ancillary programmes for guided appreciation comprising lectures and talks, screenings of Chinese opera films, talks given by artists and exhibitions.
Ends/Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:03
Issued at HKT 15:03
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