No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan The Breezy Pavilion  Li Shujian (left), Bai Qing (right)No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan The Outpouring from Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s  Li ShujianNo.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan The Fight from Close Combat with the Spears  Bai Qing (left), Li Shujian (right)No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan Tying up Chen Shimei and On Seeing the Emperor's Aunt from Tale of Qin Xianglian   Li GenwangNo.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan The Breezy Pavilion  Li Shujian (up), Bai Qing (bottom)No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan Mourning from Qin Xuemei  Zhang Yage

No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan

The Breezy Pavilion is an adaptation of a traditional title. Performed by the Yu Opera virtuoso Li Shujian who is famous for his broad vocal range and mellow voice, it would demonstrate the characteristics of the Henan West repertoire with its poignant, ‘weeping tone’. His partner in the production, Bai Qing, an exponent of the Ma Jinfeng school, sings to the hearts of the audience with her limpid vocal techniques and delicate touches in portraying the human drama that takes place in the Breezy Pavilion. The operatic excerpts On Seeing the Emperor’s Aunt and The Fightare notable productions filled with vernacular charm in the Yu Opera genre. Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s is a production that has won numerous prizes, and for this occasion, one excerpt is selected in which Cheng pours out all the wrongs he has suffered and cries bitterly.

12  August (Tue)7:30pm

Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre

The Breezy Pavilion

Adapted from the traditional repertoire Qingfeng Pavilion, The Breezy Pavilion boasts of a dramatic story and a rich presentation with refined music and singing. The theme goes beyond traditional morality to focus on the characters’ destiny and emotions exposing the very depth of human nature.

The story takes place in the Ming Dynasty. Childless and over sixty, bean-curd seller Zhang Yuanxiu and his wife pick up an abandoned baby boy when passing by Qingfeng Pavilion and name him Jibao. Thirteen years later, Jibao learns of his true identity and flees from home in exasperation. Zhang runs after him and arrives at the pavilion bumping into Jibao’s biological mother Zhou Guiying who is looking for her son there. Zhou discovers Jibao is the baby she abandoned years ago and begs Zhang to return him to her. Despite unwilling, Zhang complies in tears. His wife turns blind out of missing Jibao too much. The Zhang couple has to act as beggars to make a living in their old age. Five years later, Jibao is named Top Scholar and returns in glory to the hometown. The Zhangs are overjoyed but Jibao is ungrateful and refuses to recognize them. Zhang’s wife is devastated and falls dead at the pavilion while Zhang also dies out of grief and indignation. Under the public outcry of rage, Jibao and his mother are struck dead by lightning at the pavilion.

cast Li Shujian, Bai Qing, Wang Xianguang, Wang Aixia
13  August (Wed)7:30pm

Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre

Excerpts

Mourning from Qin Xuemei

This excerpt from the traditional repertoire Qin Xuemei is heartbreaking with beautiful poignant lyrics.

Qin Xuemei has been betrothed to Shang Lin since childhood. With the decline of the Shang family fortune, Qin’s father forces Lin to rescind the betrothal. Lin dies out of frustration. Hearing the news, Xuemei goes to Lin’s grave to mourn for him and unfold her inner feelings.

cast Zhang Yage


Executing His Own Son

Based on the story of the Yang Warriors in Northern Song dynasty on their unflinching loyalty to defend the country against barbarian invasion, this excerpt is a signature piece for the xusheng role.

Infuriated at learning about his son Zongbao’s act of looking for a wife in the battlefield, Commander Yang ties Zongbao up at the gate pending execution. His mother Lady She and Eighth Prince come to the camp to beg for mercy but are rejected. Mu Guiying comes to defect bringing along her troop and agrees to help them to defeat the Tianmen battle formation. Realizing the nation is more important Commander Yang releases Zongbao and asks him and Mu to lead the army to battle.

cast Guo Zhicheng, Li Dongjie, Guo Dongling, Lian Caifen


The Fight from Close Combat with the Spears

Also named Romance of the Spears, it is a traditional repertoire of the Ma School. Jiang Guizhi’s performance requires both strength and tenderness and the spear fight is remarkable

Jiang Guizhi brings along her sons and grandsons to go to reunite with her husband Luo Yi at Wagang Camp but Luo refuses to recognize her for fear of causing his son Luo Cheng misunderstanding. Infuriated, Jiang challenges him to fight her in a battle. Luo is defeated and falls down from the horse. After Jiang explaining to him the turns of event, Luo finally recognizes her and reunites with the family.

cast Bai Qing, Liu Xiaoguang


Tying up Chen Shimei and On Seeing the Emperor's Aunt from Tale of Qin Xianglian

The two excerpts are from the traditional Yu Opera repertoire Tale of Qin Xianglian. Judge Bao is a jing (painted face) role, known as heitou in Yu Opera. His solo singing is robust and powerful with unique vocalization.

Qin Xianglian goes to the capital to find her husband Chen Shimei with her children but Chen refuses to recognize them and asks Han Qi to pursue and kill them. Escaping successfully, Qin files a suit to Judge Bao. After learning the story, Bao arrests Chen and sentences him to death. Despite the Imperial Aunt wreaking havoc at his courtroom and the Imperial Mother begging for mercy, Bao refuses to pardon Chen. Finally Chen is executed to redress the injustice.

cast Li Genwang, Liu Xiaoguang, Song Jimei, Zhang Xiuli


The Outpouring from Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s

This excerpt is the climax of the drama with the core aria which is poignant and immensely moving. It is the classic representative piece of the Henan West School.

To save the Zhao’s orphan, Cheng Ying has suffered a lot for sixteen years. When he learns that the Commander has returned, he goes to try to tell him the truth. Without knowing the head and tail of the matter, the Commander beats him up heavily. Bearing the pain, Cheng relates to everyone the blood and tears he has shed in the sixteen years in bringing up the Zhao’s orphan.

cast Li Shujian

Yu Opera

Also known as ‘Henan Clapper Opera’, Yu Opera originates from Henan Province and is formed by merging anqiang (brought into the area in Ming dynasty), Puzhou Clapper with local folk drama. As a sub-genre of Clapper Opera, it has four stylistic schools depending on the region, namely the Xianfu, the Henan East, the Henan West and the Shahe. Yu Opera is famous for the singing, differentiated by the tempi as well as the accent on the beats, known as the manban (slow tempo), erbaban (two-eight beat), liushuiban (flowing beat) and feiban (flying beat). The vocal delivery is robust, strident and tuneful, while the pacing is vivid and compelling. It also carries strong rustic flavor due to long-term performance in villages. Major accompaniment musical instruments include piaohu (fiddle), yueqin (lute), hengdi (double reed) and clapper. There are hundreds of set tunes for both civil and military scenes and over four hundred traditional repertoires.

Li Shujian

A National Class-one Performer and director of the No. 2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan, Li Shujian specializes in xusheng (bearded male) role and has won the Wenhua Award, the 2nd and 25th Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre as well as the Shanghai Magnolia Theatre Performance Arts Award. Being an outstanding representative figure of the Yuxi School, Li strives to unearth and sort out the legacy of the traditional Yuxi style vocalization by visiting famous masters to study the secret of breathing, enunciation and diminution. He is capable of mastering the style of famous Yuxi actor Wang Ershun and is thus known as “Wang Ershun no.2”. Representative works include Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s, The Breezy Pavilion and Su Wu the Sheperd.



Bai Qing

A National Class-one Performer and exponent of the Ma (Jinfeng) School, Bai Qing specializes in qingyi (lead female) and daomadan (military female) roles and has been awarded Best Actress Award in the National Yu Opera TV Contest and First Prize in Interprovincial Operatic Arts Competition. With clear enunciation and a lilting voice, she performs with the flavour of the Ma School; natural and composed, firm and flexible. Major works include Mu Guiying Takes Command and Close Combat with the Spears.



Li Genwang

Li Genwang is a disciple of the famous Peking Opera artist Shang Changrong and a follower of the Li (Sizhong) School, a fine actor in the jing (painted face) roles. Major works includes To Chenzhou, Beating the Imperial Ride and The Song Emperor Marrying his Concubine Off.



Guo Zhicheng

An exponent of the Tang (Xicheng) School, Guo Zhicheng has been awarded the Silver Prize in the 4th China Operatic Arts Red Plum Contest. Major works include famous Tang School repertoires Nanyang Pass, Blood Splashing onto Official Cap and Executing His Own Son.



Zhang Yage

A fine young actor and a recipient of multiple awards including the Gold Award in Henan Youth Theatre Contest, Silver Award in Henan Red Plum Contest, Wenhua Second Class Performance Award in the 7th Henan Young Actors Competition and First Class Performance Award in Anhui New Repertoire Extravaganza, Zhang has participated in repertoires like Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s, Qingfeng Pavilion and Su Wu the Shepherd.



Liu Xiaoguang

Liu Xiaoguang specializes in wenwusheng (civil and military male) and laosheng (old male) roles and is a recipient of the Henan Red Plum Gold Award. Repertoires participated include Qin Xuemei, Su Wu the Shepherd, Fifteen Strings of Coin, Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s and Close Combat with the Spears.



Lian Caifen

A disciple of the Chang (Xiangyu) School, Lian Caifen specializes in daomadan (military female) roles and has been awarded the Xiangyu Art Award. Repertoires participated include Five Generations Volunteering for the Army, Gang Jiu Swearing off Wine and Chinese Opera Challenge.



Li Dongjie

A National Class-one Performer and recipient of the Xiangyu Art Award as well as National Red Plum Contest Gold Award. Specializing in laosheng (old male) and wusheng (military male) roles, Li is expert in playing the title role in Xu Ce Running to the Imperial Palace and the role of Guan Yu in Huarong Swamp.

No.2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan

Founded in 1956, the No. 2 Troupe of Yu Opera Theatre of Henan commands a full cast and stock role types from various schools with representative figures like Yan Lipin, Wu Bibo and Tang Xicheng. In recent years, younger generation of performers emerge such as Wang Qingfen, Gao Yuqiu, Li Shujian, Bai Qing, Gao Hongqi and Tian Min. Based on the foundation of their predecessors, they strive to explore and create and form their own unique artistic styles. In 2004, Cheng Ying Saving the Orphan of the Zhao’s has won the Wenhua Award First Prize and Audience Favourite Repertoire First Prize at the 7th China Arts Festival. The troupe has toured abroad to France, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan winning multiple national and provincial awards as well as wide acclaim.

12–13  August (Tue –Wed)7:30pm

Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre

STAGE

seatplan

Ticket Price  price$320 price$240 price$180 price$120


  • With Chinese and English surtitles
  • Please refer to the ‘Extension Activities’ page for details of extension activities
  • Each performance lasts approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15-minute intermission


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