26-28/7 (Fri-Sun) 7:30pm
Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall
With Chinese and English surtitles.
Members of the audience are strongly advised to arrive punctually. Latecomers and those who leave their seats during the performance will only be admitted and allowed to return to their seats respectively during the intermission or at a suitable break.
Enquiries: 2268 7325 (Programme) /
3166 1100 (Ticketing)
Booking: 3166 1288 / www.urbtix.hk
The Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre's debut at the Chinese Opera Festival in 2013 was an overnight success, and its performances last year were again overwhelmingly received. This year, the Research Centre will return with its latest hit Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon, a grand production based on a story from Journey to the West. The cast, including Yang Xiayun, Lou Sheng and Zhou Hongwei, will perform their best martial arts routines and stunts to once again amaze the Festival audience.
This year will also see the return of the feisty female warriors in full gear. Yang Xiayun as Mu Guiying will be romanced by Yang Zongbao played by Lou Sheng in the full-length play Mu Guiying, an elaborate production crafted by Chen Meilan's team featuring superior martial skills. Classic excerpts are performed with the traditional singing techniques and martial postures of Wu Opera, such as the face-changing tricks like wiping and blowing in Burning Zidu Alive and the act of hongsheng (red-faced male role) in Sworn Brothers' Reunion at the Old City.
26/7 7:30pm
Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon
Wu Opera maestro Chen Meilan and her innovative team is bringing the new adaptation of the classic story Sun Wu Kong Thrice Beat the Bony Demon from Journey to the West to Hong Kong. The cast includes Zhou Hongwei, a performer from the post-90s generation, in his lead role as the intelligent, courageous, heroic and righteous Monkey King; Yang Xiayun as the charming and cunning Bony Demon, who will perform lightning face-changing stunts and engage in a fierce duel with the Monkey King; Lou Sheng as Monk Tripitaka, an unconventional role that demonstrates his excellence in both civil and martial roles; and Dong Xuyang as Zhu Bajie the Pig, who plays the comic role with fine acting. The production made a sold-out premiere run in Mainland last year and promises to be a hit in Hong Kong.
Main Cast: Zhou Hongwei, Yang Xiayun, Lou Sheng, Dong Xuyang, Liu Fuming, Zhang Ying, Gao Qian, Sun Zishan
27/7 7:30pm
Excerpts
Killing Cai Yang from Sworn Brothers' Reunion at the Old City
Main Cast: Li Xuanyu
Hanging Up the Portrait
Main Cast: Wu Qingfei
In the Prison Cell from Two Magical Gold Seals
Main Cast: Lou Sheng, Chen Lili
A Bowl of Rice Noodles Outside the Window
Main Cast: Chen Jianxu, Lou Yiting
Burning Zidu Alive
Main Cast: Lou Sheng
A selection of five operatic excerpts featuring the new generation of Wu Opera performers will showcase the traditional singing and martial arts sequences in the genre. Killing Cai Yang from Sworn Brothers' Reunion at the Old City is a bespoke part for actors in hongsheng (red-faced male) roles portraying General Guan Yu, distinguished for unyielding gaze and stylised bodily movements. Hanging Up the Portrait is an act for the xiaohuadan (young female) and features stunts using the chair and handkerchief. In In the Prison Cell from Two Magical Gold Seals, the xiaosheng (young male) uses miming techniques in traditional Chinese opera to depict falling into a well, pulling on a rope, etc. A Bowl of Rice Noodles Outside the Window features bravura singing from the actors in xiaosheng and guimendan (high-born lady) roles. Burning Zidu Alive is a wusheng (martial male) piece where fast face-changing techniques are used to externalise the character’s terror.
28/7 7:30pm
Mu Guiying
Opera fans in Hong Kong were left wanting for more after the spectacular performance in last year's Mu Guiying Breaking Through the Army Formation in Front of the Palace. This year, the group returns with a full-length repertoire packed with youthful elements. Yang Xiayun plays a daomadan (female warrior) in the role of the intelligent and courageous Mu Guiying. From the tender and sweet girl in military dress in the scene, The Encounter, to the heroine in The Marriage who pinpoints the weakness in the army formation while showing off her flowing-sleeves skills, Yang adds a touch of liveliness and tenderness to the character through her performance. The Wedding Night also offers a new artistic interpretation of the scene that breaks tradition. Don't miss out on this extraordinary showcase of stylised movements and vocal skills in Wu Opera, with spectacular scenes of somersaults and leaps!
Main Cast: Yang Xiayun, He Xiaole, Lou Sheng, Chen Jianxu, Li Xuanyu, Gao Qian, Chen Xiaojian, Wu Yanxing, Liu Fuming, Song Baoduan
The running time of each performance is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Wu Opera
Wu Opera, the second major theatrical genre in Zhejiang Province, is predominantly performed in the Jinhua area, which was formerly known as Wuzhou. Because of this historical connection, it is also referred to as Jinhua Opera. Wu Opera is distinguished by its diverse range of vocal styles, including six different singing modes of gaoqiang, kunqiang, luantan, Anhui Opera, tanhuang and shidiao.
Originating in rural areas, Wu Opera was primarily performed by farmers on village greens and in ancestral halls. The performance style of Wu Opera is rugged and exaggerated, emphasising dramatic stage effects. Performers are required to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in both singing and acting. The plots, appealing to popular tastes, focus on everyday life but are enriched with interesting twists and turns. This genre combines crisp and sonorous music with strong emotional expression and elaborate costumes of high contrast, features that have led to its inclusion on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage at National Level.
Wu Opera is especially effective in conveying an imposing atmosphere and intense emotions through its dance and martial sequences. Beyond the spectacular martial sequences, Wu Opera performance also strive to blend civil and martial elements seamlessly. This integration showcases a balance of boldness and tenderness, along with a fine mix of strength and delicateness.