Post-COF2016 Exhibition

The seventh Chinese Opera Festival has been held between 17 June and 14 August 2016, concluded with resounding acclaim from fans in response to the bravura performances of artists from Hong Kong and various parts of China.  Let's review some of the best moments!

 

 

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of the great playwright Tang Xianzu, the Festival invited two troupes, Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe and Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe to present their versions of his classic The Four Dreams at Linchuan, showcasing his distinguished and spectacular poetry and prose, as well as the intellectual and cultural context that allowed him to create plays that have endured the test of time.

 

Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe
The Festival opened with the performance by the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe, inviting local Kunqu scholar Koo Siu-sun to reorganize the story of The Legend of the Purple Hairpin.  Distinguished performers from Hong Kong and Taiwan, Ying Kam-sha and Wen Yu Hang played the leading roles on the first performance while the second performance featured Zeng Jie and Hu Ping, outstanding young artists from the troupe.  Another Kunqu Opera The Butterfly Dream also received critical acclaims.  The script was adapted by Koo Siu-sun in 2005, based on the adaptation stage script by Yan Zhu from the Qing dynasty.  Four actors performed ten roles to develop the story of Zhuangzi testing his wife.  One of the four excerpt performances Writing the Petition from The Story of the Gauze Silk led by Wang Shiyao and Zhang Shizheng of the Shi-generation was stunning.  Their singing dialogue was enticing for the audiences. 

Ying Kam-sha (left), Wen Yu Hang (right), Kunqu Opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin

Hu Ping (front), Zeng Jie (back), Kunqu Opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin

Hu Linan (left), Kunqu Opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin

Kunqu Opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin

Kunqu Opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin

 

Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe
Legendary artists including Cai Zhengren, Yue Meiti, Liang Guyin, Zhang Xunpeng and Zhang Jingxian led a fine cast to perform in the Kunqu vocal concert The Four Dreams at Linchuan.   The finest pieces from the four dreams included The Peony Pavilion, The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, The Story of Handan and The Dream of Nanke.  ­The music and presentation were fluid and refreshing, reflecting the typical features of Kunqu.  The excerpt performance comprised of both civil and military highlights that featured both highly technical singing and thrilling actions.  Cai Zhengren put his signature acting of Welcoming the Statue and Lamenting the Statue from The Palace of Eternal Life on stage.  His performance again moved the audiences with his interpretation of the profound love and sentiments of Emperor Ming of Tang.

Cai Zhengren, The Four Dreams at Linchuan Kunqu Vocal Concert

Yue Meiti (left), Zhang Jingxian (right), The Four Dreams at Linchuan Kunqu Vocal Concert

He Yanping (left), Liang Guyin (right), The Soul Departs from The Peony Pavilion

Liu Yilong, The Four Dreams at Linchuan Kunqu Vocal Concert

Luo Chenxue (left), Li An (right), A Romantic Encounter and Pledging Love in Netherworld from The Peony Pavilion

Shen Yili (left), Li An (right), Waking from a Dream from The Peony Pavilion

Shen Yili, Pursuing the Dream from The Peony Pavilion

Waking from a Dream from The Peony Pavilion

Ni Hong (left), Yu Bin (right), The Soul Departs from Wandering in the Garden

Ni Hong (left), Liang Guyin (right), The Soul Departs from The Peony Pavilion

 

In celebration of the Year of the Monkey, the Festival presented the “Monkey King Play Series” to display both the northern and southern styles of this entertaining genre.  Characterised by unique stunts and agile movements, “Monkey King Play” mimicked the mythical Sun Wukong to amuse the audience.  The Festival invited Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang and Youth Troupe of the Peking Opera Theatre of Beijing and Li Baochun to present the southern and northern styles of this genre respectively.  The amusing acting and exciting stunts brought by this exhilarating genre thrilled the audiences.

 

Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
Monkey play can be categorised by region and defined as the southern and  northern styles.  The northern style is represented by Peking Opera, while Shao Opera of Zhejiang is most widely known for the southern style monkey play.  Stylistically, the performance of Shao Opera is gallant and straightforward.  The dynamic cast comprising of Liu Jianyang (Eleven-Year-Old Boy) – famed as “The New Monkey King of Jiangnan” and the proud apprentice of Shao Opera Monkey King master, Yao Baiqing – an exponent of Shao Opera Wang Xiaokui stylistic school and known as the “reborn Bajie of Jiangnan”, as well as the fine actors of the institute performed Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost.  Shao Opera selected the revived Mulian opera Naihe Bridge and Bai Yuan Saving His Mother to put on stage.  Praising Qin Qiong’s Contributions is an excerpt that emphasises on both the singing and the movements; Nine-twist Bridge has a tight-knitted plot; The Fisherman Meeting the Woodcutter, on the other hand, is a classic “duet” play performed by laosheng (old male) and zhengsheng (male lead) actors.  The repertoiresstereoscopically demonstrated the artistic qualities of this major local opera genre of Zhejiang.

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Liu Jianyang (left), Zhang Jingang (right)

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Yao Baiqing (middle)

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Xu Feng (middle)

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Liu Jianyang, Luo Jiqiang, Ying Linfeng, Yao Baiqing (left to right)

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Liu Jianyang (middle)

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Liu Jianyang (middle)

 

Youth Troupe of the Peking Opera Theatre of Beijing and Li Baochun
The monkey play in Peking Opera is generally categorised into the southern and northern schools.  The art of Yang Yuelou and his son Yang Xiaolou is exemplary of the northern school monkey play of Peking Opera.  Subsequently, Li Shaochun, master of wusheng (military male role), combined the strengths of the northern and southern schools and built his own interpretation based on the Yang style.  The Festival specially invited Li Baochun, the son of Li Shaochun and renowned Peking Opera artist from Taiwan, to collaborate with the Youth Troupe of the Peking Opera Theatre of Beijing performing his father’s monkey play art and the classic play Xue Pinggui Leaving His Humble Abode.  The exciting line up of monkey plays featured Monkey King Wreaking Havoc in Heaven, The Eighteen Ahrats Fighting with Wukong, The Bottomless Hole, Subduing the Leopard Monster.  In addition to the strong line up of martial performances, Chi Xiaoqiu, renowned Cheng (Yanqiu) school qingyi (virtuous female) and Zhu Qiang, a laosheng (old male) actor of the Ma (Lianliang) style, staged the classic title of the Cheng school called A Lesson from the Mother.  The exciting programme comprised of both bold and tender elements.

Li Baochun (middle), Monkey King Wreaking Havoc in Heaven

Li Baochun (right), Monkey King Wreaking Havoc in Heaven

The Eighteen Arhats Fighting with Wukong

Zhan Lei (left), The Eighteen Arhats Fighting with Wukong

Wang Qianqian (left), Chi Xiaoqiu (right), A Lesson from the Mother

Zhu Qiang, A Lesson from the Mother

Zhang Shujing, The Bottomless Hole

Zhan Lei (middle), Mount Yandang

 

Research Institute of Regional Opera Legacy of Heze Municipal, Shandong
Based on the vocal styles of the different cultural regions, Shandong opera can be categorised as northwestern Lu, southwestern Lu, central Lu, southern Lu and eastern Lu.  Heze culture, which belongs to the southwestern Lu area has profound depth; in the words of Sima Qian, it represents “the centre of heaven and earth”.  The Research Institute of Regional Opera Legacy of Heze Municipal of Shandong brought opera enthusiasts a selection of Shandong operas which covered five regional genres, including Daxianzi Opera, Zaobang Opera, Liangjiaxian Opera, Dapingdiao Opera and Shandong Bangzi Opera.   Daxianzi Opera is developed from the popular tunes and vernacular songs of the Yuan and Ming dynasties.  The tune singing comes with the rustic and refined styles.  Mount Liangjia is a classic title of Daxianzi Opera, which has been restaged to revive the Shandong opera art.  Other excerpts included classic pieces of Zaobang Opera, Liangjiaxian Opera, Dapingdiao Opera and Shangdong Bangzi Opera.

Kong Xueqin (left), Liu Junhua (right), Liangjiaxian Opera San La Fang

Zhai Yusheng, Daxianzi Opera Mount Liangjia

Song Xiuhong, Daxianzi Opera Mount Liangjia

Wu Tingting, Song Xiuhong, Zhu Fengchen (left to right), Shandong Bangzi Opera The Ridge of the Five Phoenixes

Song Xiuhong (right), Shandong Bangzi Opera The Ridge of the Five Phoenixes

Zaobang Opera Xu Long Executing his Own Son

Dapingdiao Opera Winning Over Jiang Wei

Daxianzi Opera Mount Liangjia

 

First Troupe of the China National Peking Opera Company
Revisiting Hong Kong in triumph, renowned Peking Opera laosheng (old male) artist Yu Kuizhi led in the emotively grand All Red Is the River.  Li Shengsu, representative bearer of the Mei Lanfang style performed Ladies of the Great Yang Family, an opera that has passed down four generations within the troupe.  Guest artist Yang Chi, the Director of the Dalian Peking Opera Theatre and renowned hualian (painted face) artist performed At the Mouth of Jiujiang River.  In the popular piece The Incarceration of Su San, the heroine was played by the four great dan (female) artists.  The fine young actors of the company combined the art of the four great dan artists Mei Lanfang, Cheng Yanqiu, Xun Huisheng and Zhang Junqiu to perform the repertoire.  Yu Kuizhi concluded the programme on a high note by performing Vengeance in a Black Pot - his most popular title and a laosheng classic with brilliant singing pieces.

Yu Kuizhi (middle), All Red is the River

Yu Kuizhi, All Red is the River

Yang Chi, All Red is the River

Li Shengsu, Ladies of the Great Yang Family

Zhang Jing (Front), Ladies of the Great Yang Family

Pan Yuejiao, Ladies of the Great Yang Family

Jiang Qihu, At the Mouth of Jiujiang River

Liu Kuikui, At the Mouth of Jiujiang River

Liu Mengjiao (front), The Incarceration of Su San (Complete edition)

Yu Kuizhi, Vengeance in a Black Pot

 

Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son
The scene of Free the Son from the traditional repertoire The Lotus Latern was expanded into a full length stage play of Sacrificing the Son, to explore in depth the grief and indignation of parents after Liu Yanchang and Wang Guiying gave away their own son, Qiu’er, the choice they made in the face of righteousness, and the tests and pains they endure when they are facing their fragile humanity.  Sacrificing the Son stared renowned Cantonese Opera artists, Yau Sing-po and Chan Ho-kau, together with Chan Ka-ming, Liu Kwok-sum, Lui Hung-kwong and young actors Hong Hai, Song Hongbo and Hong Wah performed on stage.  By collaborating in this performance, the veterans and young actors joined hands to pass on the legacy of the art of Cantonese Opera.

Chan Ho-kau (left), Yau Sing-po (right), Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Chan Ho-kau (left), Song Hongbo (right), Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Yau Sing-po (left), Liu Kwok-sum (right), Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Chan Ka-ming (left), Liu Kwok-sum (right), Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Yuen Sin-ting, Chan Ho-kau, Song Hongbo (front left to right), Yau Sing-po (back), Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Lui Hung-kwong, Chan Ho-kau, Yuen Sin-ting (front left to right),Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Song Hongbo, Hong Wah, Hong Hai (left to right),Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Song Hongbo (left), Kim Ying (right),Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son

Cantonese Opera Sacrificing the Son