I usually wont spend so long on writing one blog article. But this event is different, because it is about our culture - chinese opera. probably the one program taking all chinese opera genres together in one city, Hong Kong, all invited performers are no. 1 troupes in their own cities. I am not a fan of chinese opera but must say that i'm excited about this more than ARTHK or Picasso paintings.
All operas have english subtitles.
The exotic sights and sounds of traditional Chinese theatre are not always easy for outsiders to penetrate. But with English subtitles or synopsis, this festival gives you a window into this rich world, as celebrated artists perform eight different genres, including Kunqu, Peking, Cantonese, Yue, Huangmei, Gezi, Gan operas and Qinqiang.
中國戲曲藝術源遠流長，至今已衍生出300多個劇種，劇目更是數以萬計，堪稱中華文化的瑰寶。當中有5、600年歷史、有「諸劇之母」尊稱的崑劇（也稱崑曲），被聯合國教科文組織列為「口述非實體人文遺產傑作」；而盛行於香港和廣東的粵劇，也被列為「人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄」。
Where: Cultural Center , TST 香港文化中心
When: 15 June - 5 August
崑劇 Suzhou Kunqu Opera
Kunqu has a history of six hundred years, first originating in the area of Suzhou and Kunshan. From a regional operatic genre, it developed into an important art form that spawned and influenced other genres and sub-genres of Chinese traditional theatre. It was among the first art forms to be inscribed onto the UNESCO’s list of ‘Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’. In 2004, the famous novelist Pai Hsien-yung and the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre of Jiangsu Province made a new epoch in the history of Kunqu with the premiere of The Peony Pavilion (Youth version).
15 June《南西廂》 The Story of the West Chamber (Southern Qu)
16 June 《長生殿》 The Palace of Eternal Life
17 June 折子戲《吟風閣•罷宴》、《風箏誤•驚醜》、《爛柯山•逼休》、《千里送京娘》、
《獅吼記•跪池》Excerpts : Cancelling the Birthday Celebrations from The Pavilion of Chanting in the Wind, The Shock of an Ugly Face from The Mistake Caused by a Kite, Forcing Her Hand for a Divorce from Lanke Mountain, Accompanying Jingniang for Thousands of Miles, Kneeling by the Pond from The Lioness Roars
黃梅戲 Huangmei Opera
Huangmei Opera is also known as Caichaxi (tea-picking opera). It originated from Anqing, which sits at the junction of three provinces – Hubei, Anhui and Jiangxi. Later it assimilated qingyangqiang, folk songs, the performing techniques of Anhui Opera and other operatic genres to come into its own. The vernacular origin lends a natural, vivacious charm to its performances. The lyrical singing and the use of everyday language make it easy to learn to sing. All these qualities make Huangmei Opera particularly appealing to the younger audience.
20 June 天仙配》The Seventh Fairy Maiden
21 June 《女駙馬》 The Female Consort of the Princess
台灣歌仔 Tang Mei Yun Taiwanese Opera
Gezi Opera is a vernacular form of theatre that first gained popularity in Yilan in northeastern Taiwan. Its musical origin was the short songs brought to the region by early settlers from Zhangzhou, Fujian of the Mainland. Later the songs were combined with local ballads and narrative singing to come into their own. The earliest local genre was ‘luodisao’ - playlets with song and dance performed in parades for temple fairs, and sung with a natural voice in the local dialect of Hokkien. Later, it incorporated the vernacular theatre of Siping Opera, Liyuan Opera, Gaojia Opera, Luantan (or Beiguan Opera) and Chiu Chow Opera to become a genre typically staged in temples to ‘entertain’ the gods. With incorporation of the more integrative elements of Peking Opera, it evolved further into ‘indoor Gezi Opera’ staged in city theatres.
23 June 《龍鳯情緣》 The Princess and the Hunter
24 June 《添燈記》 Love on Pregnancy
京昆 Jingkun Theater
In early days of Kunqu, there was a distinction between a ‘pure singer’ and a ‘performer’. While the former did not act and merely paid attention to singing techniques, the latter referred to the allroundKunqu actor.
Maestro Yu Zhenfei had a solid foundation in Kunqu singing from his father, who was an eminent ‘pure singer’. He also enjoyed a career in the theatre that spanned seven decades. His lifelong dedication to the art form meant he was able to create amazingly convincing personae through characterization. He was therefore exemplary in both singing and acting, and a role model in the genre for generations to come.
26/6 折子戲《小放牛》、《連環記．問探》、《奇雙會．寫狀、三拉團圓》
主演：蔡正仁、鄧宛霞、周雪峰、陸永昌、趙文英、婁雲嘯、譚笑
Excerpts : The Little Cowherd; Asking the Way from The Chain Scheme; Drafting the Petition, Three Brought into the Judge’s Chambers and The Reunion from A Miraculous Double Reunion
27/6 折子戲《打花鼓》、《牧羊記．望鄉》、《牡丹亭．寫真、拾畫叫畫、幽媾、婚走》
Excerpts : Beating the Flower Drum; Looking Homeward from Su Wu Herding Sheep; The Portrait, Finding the Portrait, Calling upon the Picture, The Phantom Union, The Elopement from The Peony Pavilion
秦腔 Qingiang
Qinqiang is one of the oldest theatrical forms in China. It originated in Shaanxi and Gansu, and has been inscribed onto the first National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in China. The vocal style is typified by its open, robust tones, with sonorous ‘attack’ notes mingled with poignancy. The flamboyant presentation style seems to have come from the rustic, forthright character of the Shaanxi people in northwest China.
13/7 《周仁回府》 Zhou Ren on the Way Home
14/7 折子戲《伍員拆書》、《晴雯撕扇》、《水潑紅袍》、《趕坡》、《鬼怨、殺生》
Excerpts : Wu Yun Reading the Farewell Letter, Qingwen the Maid Tearing the Fan, Dousing the Top Scholar’s Red Robe, The Chase on the Hill, The Revenge of the Female Ghost
越劇 Yue Opera
Yue Opera, also known as Shaoxing Opera, distinguishes itself from all other Chinese traditional genres with its aesthetic appeal. As a relatively young genre, it has also developed different stylistic schools, each with its engaging charm.
15/7 《孟麗君》Meng Lijun
16/7 《盤夫索夫》 Interrogating the Husband
17 / 7 《玉蜻蜓》 The Jade Dragonfly
18/7 折子戲
《梁山伯與祝英台．回十八》
《梁山伯與祝英台．臨終》
《紅樓夢．葬花、哭靈》
《碧玉簪．三蓋衣、送鳳冠》
Excerpts :
Sweet Memories at the Eighteen Spots During the Long Farewell from The Butterfly Lovers, Shanbo Dying from The Butterfly Lovers, Burying the Petals and Mourning Daiyu from The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Neglected Bride Watching Over Her Husband in Sleep and The Top Scholar’s Apology to His Wife from The Jade Hairpin
京劇 Peking Opera
There are many outstanding actors on the current Peking Opera scene who have contributed to the continuation of artistic excellence of many classics in the Peking Opera repertory. Yu Kuizhi, the famous actor of laosheng (old man) roles, will perform the title role in Wu Zixu, a full-length Peking Opera made famous by Yang Baosen, one of the ‘Four Greats’ in xusheng (bearded male) roles. Yu’s impassioned singing and acting will allow the present day audience a glimpse of the exemplary art of Yang. In Beating with a Gold Brick, which was a timeless audience favourite in the repertoire of Li Shaochun, it requires the lead actor an all-round performance in singing, delivery of lines, acting, dance, as well as acrobatics in martial arts. Yu will demonstrate his consummate skills and perform with bravura. He will partner with Li Shengsu, actress trained in dan roles of the Mei Lanfang school, in The Shoe Story and The Drunken Royal Concubine. In The Wild Boar Forest, which is taken from the famous novella The Water Margin, Yu’s partner on stage is Yang Chi, a famous performer in hualian (painted face) roles and a disciple of Yuan Shihai. The audience can witness the exceptional chemistry between these great actors on stage – definitely a programme not to be missed!
20/7 7:30pm 《貴妃醉酒》、《打金磚》 The Drunken Concubine, Beating with a Gold Brick
21/7 2:30pm 《伍子胥》 Wu Zixu
21/7 7:30pm 《生死恨》The Shoe Story
22/7 7:30pm 《野豬林》The Wild Boar Forest
新編粤劇《無私鐵面包龍圖》Cantonese Opera
The legendary impartial, judicious and sagacious ‘Justice Bao’, or ‘Bao Zheng’, of the Song Dynasty is often featured in Chinese traditional theatre. In the upcoming New Cantonese Opera Justice Bao, two stories revolving round him would be presented as a double-bill, i.e., The Caucasian Circle, which is adapted from Yuan Dynasty zaju, and Chisang Town, which is taken from Peking Opera. The focus would be on the human aspect of Bao’s character in addition to depictions of his usual uprightness and superb wisdom.
Well-known Cantonese Opera star, Yuen Siu-fai will play the title role. He will strengthen Justice Bao’s awe-inspiring image by singing with the ‘back-of-head tone’, which is a kind of vocalizing through resonance used by actors in ‘painted face’ roles in Peking Opera. It is a deep, metallic voice, as opposed to the ‘explosive vocal technique’ of the traditional Cantonese ‘painted face’ role. In Chisang Town, veteran artist Yau Sing-po will play the transvestite role of Wu Miaozhen, Bao’s sister-in-law who brought him up. Yau will portray the turmoil and internal struggle when faced between motherly love and sacrifice when the life of her own son is at stake. Expect an electrifying performance between the two great actors in this interpretation of the famous judge in Chinese history!
27-29/7 7:30 pm 無私鐵面包龍圖Justice Bao
贛劇
Gan Opera
Inscribed onto the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China, Gan Opera is a genre with a wide variety of vocal styles, the result of more than five hundred years of evolution. The three main types are gaoqiang, with components of yiyangqiang and qingyangqiang; tanqiang, with components of erhuang, xipi, wennanci, laobazi, etc.; and kunqiang.
3/8 《荊釵記》（青陽腔）
The Story of the Wooden Hairpin ( Qingyangqiang )
4/8 折子戲《馬前潑水‧夜夢冠帶》（文南詞）、《梁祝姻緣‧書館夜讀》（文南詞）、《雛鳳凌空‧孟良搬兵》（彈腔）、《還魂記‧遊園驚夢》（弋陽腔）
Excerpts : A Glorious But Elusive Dream from What Is Done Cannot Be Undone (Wennanci), Studying Together at Night from The Butterfly Lovers (Wennanci), Meng Liang Seeks Military Aid from The Young Phoenix Rises to the Occasion (Tanqiang), Wandering in the Garden and Waking from a Dream fromThe Resurrection (Yiyangqiang)
5/8 《竇娥冤》（青陽腔） The Injustice Done to Dou E (Qingyangqiang)
Check out this lovely program calendar, you will love it as your wall paper.
