Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Introduction
Yue Opera (also known as “Shaoxing Opera”) is known for its brilliant lyrical repertoire, which is primarily presented with singing. The melodies of Yue Opera are soft and gentle; the singing style is elegant, beautiful and full of grace. The Shanghai Yue Opera Group will be staging The Dream of the Red Chamber, the signature play of Yue Opera. Built around the tragic love story of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, the play reveals the rise and fall of an extended feudal family. The Dream of the Red Chamber has been performing recurrently since its premiere. In fact, its name was once synonymous to Yue Opera. The Double-pearl Phoenix Hairpin is a classic in the repertoire of the Lu (Jinhua) school. It tells the boy-meets-girl story of Wen Bizheng, a Ming dynasty first-place scholar of Luoyang’s provincial examination, and the beautiful Huo Dingjin, the only daughter of the Minister of Appointment Huo Tianrong. The new edition has preserved the classic singing segments and plotlines, but the libretto has been updated to tell an even more dazzling tale with romantic twists and turns after Wen and Huo fall in love at the first sight. The newly written play Bronze Bird Terrace is adapted by Li Li, the former director of Shanghai Yue Opera Group and National Class One Playwright, and her co-writer Huang Yan. The play presents the story of Zhen Luo and Cao Zhi. After its 2014 premiere in the Mainland, Bronze Bird Terrace will be staging in Hong Kong for the first time. The three full-length plays are all led by Fang Yafen, a celebrated Yuan (Xuefen) school huadan (female lead) role performer, the winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and the director of Shanghai Yue Opera Group. She will be sharing the stage with Lu (Jinhua) school xiaosheng (young male) role player and National Class One Actor Xu Biaoxin, as well as Yin (Guifang) school xiaosheng role player Qi Chunlei. The excerpt performance will be presented by seasoned guest artists and the winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, Shan Yangping who plays the huadan role of the school of Wang (Wenjuan) and renowned Fan (Ruijuan) school xiaosheng role player Zhang Ruihong.
Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Programme Details
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
3/8 Thu 7:30pm
The Dream of the Red Chamber
Popular Yue Opera classic The Dream of the Red Chamber is usually presented in the Xu (Yulan) school and Wang (Wenjuan) school version. This time, the opera will be interpreted by the Yin (Guifang) school and Yuan (Xuefen) school with a refined and moving touch filled with affection and grace.
Orphaned and sickly, Lin Daiyu goes to stay with her grandmother at the Jia mansion and befriends her cousin Jia Baoyu. Within the walls of the grand mansion, the two youngsters share their interests and heart. Defying the constraints of aristocratic family, they secretly read the book Romance of the West Chamber to express their free mind and nourish their love. Despite Jia Zheng’s wish for his son to gain officialdom, Baoyu disdains fame and fortune and opposes rites and tradition. Jia Zheng finds Baoyu’s rebellious attitude intolerable and makes excuse to give him a severe beating. Baoyu stays in to recuperate from the wound. Daiyu comes to visit him but is shut out by his jealous maid Qingwen. Misunderstanding arises. Daiyu feels disheartened at the sight of falling petals and snow. She goes to the garden to bury the petals and recite a poem to relieve her depressed mood. Baoyu hears the lyrics and confesses his love for her. In the interest of the family, a role model in feudal morality has to be picked as the wife for Baoyu, the sole heir. Madam Jia and others thus conspire to make a swap during the marriage ceremony. Daiyu is devastated. She burns her poems in her sickbed and finally dies at the onslaught of feudal forces. While Daiyu is breathing her last, Baoyu is entering the bridal chamber. On discovering the bride has been swapped, he runs out at all costs to look for Daiyu. In front of Daiyu’s spiritual tablet, Baoyu cries his heart out. In his eyes, the Jia mansion is corrupt and filthy save perhaps the pair of stone lion at the door front. The rebel son of the feudal family takes off determinedly without turning back.
Scene One Daiyu's Arrival at the Mansion
Scene Two Reading Romance of the Western Chamber
Scene Three Unfiliality
Scene Four Baoyu Receives a Fearful Flogging
Scene Five Daiyu Receives a Closed-door Treatment
Scene Six Visiting the Garden, Burying the Falling Blossoms and Testing the Jade
—Intermission of 15 minutes —
Scene Seven A Cunning Plan Laid by Wang Xifeng
Scene Eight Revealing the Secret and Daiyu Burning Her Poem Script
Scene Nine A Perfect Marriage Between the Gold and the Jade
Scene Ten Baoyu Mourns for Daiyu
Epilogue Illusory Scene
Cast
Jia Baoyu: Wang Qing [Yin (Guifang) school]
Lin Daiyu: Fang Yafen [Yuan (Xuefen) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Xue Baochai: Deng Huawei
Wang Xifeng: Fan Tingting
Madam Jia: Zhou Yaner
Jia Zheng: Jin Ye
Zi Juan: Ye Yuanbei
Qi Guan: Guo Qianyun
Madam Wang: Zhu Yang
Xi Ren: Xu Lai
Qing Wen: Yu Jinglan
Aunt Xue: Tang Liuhua
Maid: Gui Haiping
Officer Zhang: Mao Chunmei
Bei Ming: Ding Lin
Xue Yan: Xie Lin
Mrs Zhou: Yu Liqun
Servant: Performers of the Group
Lead Vocal: Huang Ying
Chorus: Performers of the Group
Drum: Jin Zhiliang
Lead Huqin: Ma Lichao
The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
4/8 Fri 7:30pm
The Double-pearl Phoenix Hairpin (New Edition)
Signature piece of the Lu (Jinhua) school, Double-pearl Phoenix Hairpin’s original libretto has been lost leaving only the singing segment Sending Flower to the Chamber. To preserve the classic, the piece has been revived and reconstructed to fully exploit its special feature of being a light comedy to suit both the connoisseurs’ and laymen’s taste.
Springtime in ancient Luoyang, Minister of the Interior Huo Tianrong’s daughter Dingjin goes to admire the blossoming peony and encounters honored scholar Wen Bizheng. A fondness grew between the two and on leaving Dingjin drops her pearl phoenix hairpin. In order to return the hairpin and see Dingjin again, Wen sells himself off as a servant in the Huo mansion and meets Dingjin while sending flower to the chamber. He pledges his love to her and promises to make a formal proposal after the autumn examination. Their secret meeting is made known to Minister Huo who gets furious and files a suit against Wen at the magistracy. Wen is thrown into jail while Dingjin is forced to marry someone else. In defiance, Dingjin burns her chamber down and runs away from home. Meanwhile, Luoyang magistrate orders the jailer to kill Wen to please Huo. Fortunately Wen is rescued but gets devastated on learning the death of Dingjin in the fire. Months later, Wen wins the top honours in the imperial examination while Dingjin also arrives in the capital in search of her fiancé. The young couple is brought together again by their love token, the pearl phoenix hairpin and reunits after the twists and turns. Will their unconventional match be recognized by the Huo family? Can Wen forgive Huo for persecuting him? Will the lovers be able to tie the knot?
Scene One Admiring Flowers and Picking up the Hairpin
Scene Two Sending Flower to the Chamber
Scene Three Disaster Arises and Fire at the Chamber
Scene Four Mourning and Escape
—Intermission of 15 minutes —
Scene Five Reunion of the Lovers
Scene Six Family Reunion
Cast
Wen Bizheng: Xu Biaoxin [Lu (Jinhua) school]
Huo Dingjin: Fang Yafen [Yuan (Xuefen) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Madam Huo: Huang Ying
Huo Tianrong: Gu Aijun
Yang Hu: Mi Feng
Qui Hua: Ye Yuanbei
Old Housekeeper: Yuan Guowei
Nun: Ding Lin
Crowd: Performers of the Group
Drum: Jin Zhiliang
Lead Huqin: Wu Baiwei
The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
5/8 Sat 2:30pm
Excerpts
Drum: Jin Zhiliang, Zhao Bin
Lead Huqin: Ma Lichao, Wu Baiwei
Love Tunes on the Zither from Romance of the West Chamber
An excerpt from one of the four classics in Yue Opera and a signature piece of the Yuan (Xuefen) school, it includes the widely popular part Listening to the Zither which is refined and graceful.
During the Zhenguan era in Tang dynasty, scholar Zhang Gong passes by Pu Jiu Temple and falls in love with Cui Yingying, daughter of the deceased Prime Minister. However Lady Cui forbids them for no reason and asks her daughter to address Zhang as brother. At night, Zhang plays the lute to express his deep longing and love for Yingying.
Cast
Cui Yingying: Yu Jinglan [Yuan (Xuefen) school]
Zhang Gong: Guo Qianyun [Xu (Yulan) school]
Matchmaker: Ye Yuanbei [Lu (Ruiying) school]
Seeking out His Wife from He Wenxiu
An excerpt from the signature piece of the Yin (Guifang) school, Seeking out His Wife combines virtualized performance with mellifluous singing in a perfectly natural and smooth manner.
Framed and sentenced to death, scholar He Wenxiu is rescued by the jailer and escapes to elsewhere. His wife Wang Lanying, having lost contact with her husband, takes Mrs Yang as her foster mother. Three years later, He Wenxiu wins the top honour in the imperial examination and is appointed as Inspector-General of Jiangnan. He disguises himself as a fortune-teller and pays Wang a visit offering to help her write a petition to redress the previous unjust verdict.
Cast
He Wenxiu: Wang Qing [Yin (Guifang) school]
Crying at the Ancestral Temple from The Tragedy of Liu Chen
An excerpt from the signature piece of the Xu (Yulan) school, Crying at the Ancestral Temple consists of complicated singing and acting parts especially the segment Xian Xia Diao which is resounding and robust with powerful emotions that can move the audience to tears.
Wei army attacks the Shu Kingdom. Shu ruler Liu Shan refuses to take his son, Lord of the Northern Land Liu Chen’s advice and decides on surrender. Liu Chen returns to the palace in rage. After learning the news, his wife Cui kills herself for the country. Liu Chen kills his three sons and goes to the ancestral temple to cry and pour out his patriotic love for the country in front of the late ruler, Liu Bei’s spiritual tablet then kills himself with a sword.
Cast
Liu Chen: Mao Chunmei [Xu (Yulan) school]
Meeting at the Study from Meng Lijun
This is an excerpt from the signature piece of the Wang (Wenjuan) school, Meng Lijun which is based on the full-length tanci piece Eternal Happiness. Meng Lijun is disguised as a man in the excerpt and acts in an elegant and forthright, as well as soft and graceful manner.
As her father is framed, talented girl Meng Lijun runs away disguised as a man at night and before leaving sends her fiancé Huangfu Shaohua a self-portrait to express her heart. Three years later, Meng takes the top honours in the imperial examination under the pseudonym Li Junyu and is appointed prime minister. When Shaohua returns to the capital with the army, he discovers the prime minister is Meng Lijun and invites her to the study for a meeting. For fear the act of deceiving the emperor might implicate her fiancé, Meng refuses to admit her identity.
Cast
Meng Lijun: Shan Yangping [Wang (Wenjuan) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Huangfu Shaohua: Zhang Ruihong [Fan (Ruijuan) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Huangfu Jing: Gu Aijun
Yin Liangzhen: Huang Ying
Rong Lan: Gui Haiping
—Intermission of 15 mintues —
Fortune-telling from The Prince of the Desert
An excerpt from the signature piece of the Yin (Guifang) school, Fortune-telling depicts the story of the Mongolian tribe in the West. It combines the enduring grace of the Yin school with the exotic spirit of the foreign land in an affectionate and intriguing tale.
Desert Prince Luo Lan escapes from the palace at a young age because of a coup at the imperial court. Luo grows up and falls in love with Princess Yi Li. In the course of restoring the court to power, Luo loses his sight while Yi Li goes missing. After being restored as ruler, Luo goes out to look for Yi Li and finds that she is getting married. Disguised as a fortune-teller, Luo laments on fate and brushes away the past. The two finally reunit.
Cast
Luo Lan: Qi Chunlei [Yin (Guifang) school]
Yi Li: Deng Huawei [Lu (Ruiying) school]
The Interrogation from Interrogating the Husband
This is an excerpt from the signature piece of the Jin (Caifeng) and Lu (Jinhua) schools. It adheres to the traditional performance style in both the dan role’s make-up and use of prelude verses to introduce appearing characters.
During the Jiajing era in Ming dynasty, Zeng Rong runs away under the pseudonym Yan Rong as his father is persecuted by the treacherous official Yan Song. Talented and handsome, Zeng Rong is invited by Yan Song to marry his granddaughter Lanzheng. After the ceremony, Zeng Rong refuses to enter the bridal chamber. Lanzheng keeps on interrogating and upon finding out his true identity, decides to stand by her husband. Zeng is grateful for her understanding and reconciles with her.
Cast
Yan Lanzheng: Fan Tingting [Jin (Caifeng) school]
Zeng Rong: Xu Biaoxin [Lu (Jinhua) school]
Meeting in the Pavilion from The Butterfly Lovers
An excerpt from one of the four classics in Yue Opera and a signature piece of the Yuan (Xuefen) and Fan (Ruijuan) schools, Meeting in the Pavilion consists of abundant singing parts in rich beat and progressive rhythm to express the infinite love between the protagonists Liang and Zhu.
Disguised as a man, Zhu Yingtai goes to study in Hangzhou and becomes good friends with classmate Liang Shanbo. They make a pledge to get married but it is objected by Zhu’s father. When Liang comes to Zhu’s house to make an official proposal, he learns that Zhu’s hand has already been offered to Ma Wencai. The two meet at the tower to pour out their feelings for one another and vow to stay together in death if not in life, then bade farewell sadly.
Cast
Zhu Yingtai: Fang Yafen [Yuan (Xuefen) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Liang Shanbo: Zhang Ruihong
The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
5/8 Sat 7:30pm
Bronze Bird Terrace (New Adaptation)
This is a new Yue Opera repertoire. It depicts the love and hate relationship between the Cao father and sons and Yan Luo. It shows the complexities of human nature with mascular vigour and intensity.
Adapted from the story Death on Bronze Bird Terrace written by Yan Qiushi. In late Eastern Han dynasty, imperial power weakened while dukes and lords rise. Chancellor Cao Cao’s son Cao Zhi follows his father on his conquest and meets a beautiful woman by River Luo. He is mesmerized and leaves her a piece of jade to show his love. At the City of Ye, Cao Zhi is delighted to find that Yan Luo, daughter of a defeated official, resembles very much the woman he encountered. Love grows between the two. Cao Zhi pledges to marry her but Cao Cao offers Yan Luo’s hand to Cao Zhi’s brother Cao Pi instead. Cao Pi is eventually named the successor by Cao Cao as he uses Cao Zhi’s weakness in drinking to fight for power. After Cao Cao’s death, Cao Pi claims the throne on behalf of the Han emperor but he still wants to eliminate Cao Zhi out of suspicion. As Cao Zhi’s sister-in-law now, Yan Luo tries to dissuade Cao Pi from doing so at the Bronze Bird Terrace. She even risks her life by exposing the secret Cao Pi swears to keep for Cao Cao. With Yan Luo’s help and the Seven Steps Verse he recites in the nick of time, Cao Zhi is able to escape from the fate of death. By the bank of River Luo, Yan Luo reaches the end of her life for exposing the sworn secret. The fate of woman in a war-torn world is beyond control. Only the piece of jade in her hand reminds her of the unforgettable love she once has. Along with the flowing water and foggy mist, there go her endless longing for her love Cao Zhi.
Scene One Reunion at the City of Ye
Scene Two Rhapsody of Bronze Bird Terrace
Scene Three A Toast before Battle
—Intermission of 15 mintues —
Scene Four Longing for One Another
Scene Five Seven-step Verse
Scene Six Farewell by the River Luo
Cast
Cao Zhi: Xu Biaoxin [Lu (Jinhua) school]
Yan Luo: Fang Yafen [Yuan (Xuefen) school, Winner of Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre]
Cao Pi: Qi Chunlei [Yin (Guifang) school]
Cao Cao: Xu Jie [Lu (Jinhua) school]
Wu Zhi: Gu Aijun
Cui Yi: Mi Feng
Jin Ping: Ye Yuanbei
Guard: Wang Guoyang, Cai Xiuhui, Huang Weijie, Jin Tao
Minister: Huang Zengwei, Yuan Guowei, Qui Long, Wan Zhongliang
Lead Vocal: Huang Ying
Drum: Jin Zhiliang
Lead Huqin: Ma Lichao
The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Information provided by Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Performing Group
Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Shanghai Yue Opera Group was founded in 1955 with Yuan Xuefen as the founding director. Over the years, the group has created and adapted more than 400 classical, historical and contemporary works including widely recognized classics such as The Butterfly Lovers, Romance of the West Chamber, The Dream of the Red Chamber and Xiang Lin’s Wife. Award-winning productions also include the new version of The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Empresses in the Palace, Stage Sisters, The Family, Mei Long Town, The Separated Spring, Jade Love, Zhao's Orphan, Beauty Yu and Deep into Autumn among others. The group has brought together many renowned playwrights, directors as well as music, stage art and acting talents such as veteran performing artists Yuan Xuefen, Fan Ruijuan, Fu Quanxiang, Xu Yulan, Wang Wenjuan, Zhang Guifeng, Xu Tianhong, Wu Xiaolou, Lu Jinhua, Lu Ruiying, Jin Caifeng and Zhou Baokui; playwright Xu Jin; directors Wu Chen and Huang Sha; composer Gu Zhenxia and stage designer Su Shifeng. The current Co-ed Troupe and All-female Red Mansion Troupe of the group have also assembled many talents who have won over 20 times in various awards including the Wen Hua Award for Performance, Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, Best Performer Award at the China Theatre Festival, China Gold Record Award, and Best Leading and Supporting Performer Awards at the Shanghai White Magnolia Award for Theatrical Performing Arts. The group has toured Japan, France, Thailand, Singapore, the USA, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Canada, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, performing to high acclaim.
Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Production Team
Company Director: Liang Hongjun
Secretary General: Chai Liangjie
Co-ordinator & Communication: Fan Yasheng
Publicity: Mo Xia, Zhu Geyi
Director: Wu Jiasi
Lighting Designer: Wang Wenqi
Stage Manager: Zhou Yongqiang
Surtitles: Performers of the Group
Cast: Fang Yafen, Shan Yangping, Zhang Ruihong, Xu Jie, Xu Biaoxin, Qi Chunlei, Wang Qing, Fan Tingting, Huang Zengwei, Ding Lin, Jin Ye, Gu Aijun, Qui Long, Yuan Guowei, Mi Feng, Gu Weilin, Wan Zhongliang, Wang Guoyang, Jin Tao, Tang Liuhua, Yu Liqun, Xu Lai, Xie Lin, Zhou Yaner, Deng Huawei, Ye Yuanbei, Shi Tingting, Yu Jinglan, Gui Haiping, Mao Chunmei, Huang Ying, Guo Qianyun, Zhu Yang, Cai Xiuhui, Huang Weijie, Xie Jie
Musicians: Ma Lichao, Wu Baiwei, Jin Zhiliang, Zhao Bin, Shen Qi, Wu Liangwei, Yao Lina, Hu Jiayi, Yang Wenxi, Zhu Xiaowen, Song Xuan, Zhang Xu, Du Juan, Gu Qiuping, Ling Jing, Hu Jie, Zhang Ting, Weng Nirui, Guan Xian, Liu Zhao, Hong Jinlang
Stage Art Team: Yin Weiming, Xu Tao, Zhang Lizhong, Fu Junjun, Yang Fei, Yang Baoxiang, Wang Dewei, Li Hailin, Deng Chengjun, Zhong Jijun, Sun Yiyao, Ma Yue, Xu Jinmei, Zhou Juan, Jin Lixin, Xu Hua, Shi Lei
Co-ordination & Planning: Hong Kong Arts Performance Co. Limited
House Programme Information and Surtitles Translation: Multilingual Translation Services, Jeanie Wong
Shanghai Yue Opera Group
Ticketing
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
3-5/8 Thu-Sat 7:30pm
5/8 Sat 2:30pm
$450 
$350 
$250 
$150
With Chinese and English surtitles
Please refer to the "Extension Activities" page for details of extension activities
Programme Enquiries: 2268 7325
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