Nurturing new talent is fundamental to the development of the future Xiqu Centre of the West Kowloon Cultural District and plays a key part in meeting the expectations of a local audience which possesses both a passion for the art of Cantonese Opera and a concern for its future. To this end, the West Kow-loon Cultural District Authority will hold the Rising Stars in Cantonese Opera Showcase at this year’s West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre. The aim of the event is to encourage the professional development of new talent while providing a platform to showcase their artistic performance. You are cordially invited to join and witness the future stars of local Cantonese Opera.

Seven future stars of Cantonese Opera, including Kwan Doris, Lin Xiaoye, Hong Hai, Liu Li, Wong Kit Fong Janet, Leung Suk Ming and Tse Hue Ying Diana will showcase their talents in the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre on 9 February.

The Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom
The Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom was the classic written by the famous librettist Tong Tik-sang for the Sin Fung Ming Opera Troupe. This selected scene says that the imperial college student, Pei Yu meets Li Huiniang, the new concubine of Grand Tutor Jia Sidao at West Lake. Li rejects Pei’s love but he can’t forget her. He visits the Shan village with his solitude, he meets Lu Zhaorong, whose beauty bears resemblance to Li’s. Another mirage love story comes. Jia also wants to have Lu as one of his concubines since she looks like Li. Pei suggests way for Lu to get rid of Jia but Pei is trapped in Jia’s mansion and faces fatal disaster. The grieving spirit of Li comes to rescue Pei at night.

Fairy Hongluan
Both the princes of Jin are in love with Liu Hongluan. She fancies Prince Chen, who is handsome, and conceives his child after a drunken rendezvous with him. Prince Hong, the ugly one, thinks of a deceitful plan that will land him Hongluan and leave her ugly sister to Chen. Hong feels guilty and gives up his wicked plan. Hongluan then marries Chen. Later, returning to heaven, the fairy maiden realizes the fact that all love in the world is transient and cannot compare to the eternal bliss of heaven. She descends back into the world, where she delivers her son and, with him, all her worldly emotions.

The Killing of Qin Xianglian in Temple
Scholar Chen Shimei leaves far away for the imperial examination. Accomplishing both success and fame, Chen is so ungrateful that he deserts his wife and children. He gets married with princess and becomes emperor’s son-in-law. So he orders Hanqi to kill his wife and children. Chasing for the foe of the emperor’s son-in-law and arrives the Temple of Three Officials, Hanqi finds that he is ordered to kill Chen’s first wife (Qin Xianglian ) as well as their children (Brother Dong and Sister Chun) . Facing the conflict between loyalty and morality, Hanqi’s decision forces Xianglian to fight for the justice of family love and ethics.

The Reminiscence of Cui
Cui, the wife of Scholar Zhu Maichen can’t tolerate the impoverished life, so she forces him to sign her a divorce letter. Zhu came in the first place in imperial examination and returns. Realizing Zhu is now a man of high rank, Cui blocks his horse’s way and pleads to reunite with Zhu. Zhu asks Cui to splash water in front to the horses. If the splashed water can be retrieved, Zhu would rekindle their relationship. Cui fails and Zhu leaves her.

This selected scene portrays the grief of Cui after she gets remarried with Zhang Xiqiao. Cui eventually leaves home and knows that Zhu passes the imperial examination with honors, Cui thinks about the past and even wishes Zhu will have his courier pick her up so they can approach his new post in court together. She wakes up to find that she has just been daydreaming …

A Sword of Loyalty
Wang Mang overthrows and kills the emperor, as well as murders the loyal official Wu Zhang. When Wu’s child, Wu Han, grows up and is recruited by the new dynasty as a warrior and wins the favor of Wang. The new emperor lets his daughter marry Wu Mang. Liu Xiu, a royal of the previous dynasty, plans to recapture the government and restore the Han dynasty. Liu is caught by Wu when trying to flee through the pass. Wu excitedly tells his mother about capturing Liu, but she orders him to release his captive and tells him about his father’s death at the hands of Wang. Liu’s mother takes out the “sword of loyalty” her husband earned and orders Wu to help restore the Han dynasty and avenge his father’s death. Wu’s mother also forces her son to kill his wife so as to cut off his connections to Wang.
This selected scene says that Wu Han enters the family Buddha hall with the sword, finds his wife is praying for him and his mother. Wu finds himself unable to kill such a kind woman. After knowing Wu’s coming reason, the princess seizes the sword and kills herself.

Waylaying the Horse
In the Song Dynasty, General Yang Liulang finds and reports to the court that the Liao’s soldiers are ready to fight against Song Empire in the frontier region. Unfortunately the Emperor just hears the slanders and believes Yang has got wrong information. She Taijun , Yang’s mother, orders her daughter Yang Bamei disguises herself as a Liao’s soldier to spy out military secrets. Returning to Song Empire and looking afar to her homeland, Yang Bamei sighs that the court is full of crafty and fawning ministers. But it is great that she has gathered the evidence showing that the Liao has invaded the frontier region. So she spurs on her flying horse and accelerates her speed back to Song Empire…

Nurturing new talent is fundamental to the development of the future Xiqu Centre of the West Kowloon Cultural District and plays a key part in meeting the expectations of a local audience which possesses both a passion for the art of Cantonese Opera and a concern for its future. To this end, the West Kow-loon Cultural District Authority will hold the Rising Stars in Cantonese Opera Showcase at this year’s West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre. The aim of the event is to encourage the professional development of new talent while providing a platform to showcase their artistic performance. You are cordially invited to join and witness the future stars of local Cantonese Opera.

Seven future stars of Cantonese Opera, including Liu Hong Wah, Li Pui Yan Eliza, Tam Wing Lun Alan, Ruan Dewen, Kwan Wai Sham Juliana, Yuen Johnson and Wang Zhiliang will showcase their talents in the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre on 8 February.

Invocation in the Temple
This is from the classic The Troubled Love of Wang Kui and Gui Ying. It says that Scholar Wang Kui fails in the imperial examination and gets sick far away from his home. The hooker Jiao Guiying rescues and brings him back to brothel. She gets married with him and pays for his studies so that he can sit for the imperial examination again. After getting the honor of the top scorer in the imperial examination, he disregards his vow and divorces Guiying. He is then adopted into the family of the Royal Prime Minister. This selected scene describes that the unutterable sadness fills Guiying’s heart and nobody would listen to her complaint. So she goes to the temple to invoke the God of the Sea.

Sisterly Love amidst Turmoil
It is the birthday feast of retired court official Si Tao Wen-yuan. His two daughters, Hong-ling and Bai-ling, are dressed up waiting for their lovers, Leng-qin and Xuan-yan. Despite Xuan-yan’s unrequited love for Bai, she has fallen for Hong’s lover, Leng-qin, and is determined to win him over. Shortly after the feast, Wen Shi-yu, a beggar, accidentally entered Si Tao Mansion and discovered her ex-wive’s portrait, thus revealing the secret of Hong-ling’s birth father. At the engagement party for Leng-qin and Hong-ling, Bai-ling was incited by Si Tao’s mistress to reveal Hong-ling’s secret in front of everyone. Upon learning the truth of her past, Hong-ling chased after Wen Shi-yu, in hope of reuniting with her birth father. However, in order to protect her future, he denies her. Hong-ling is devastated and resort to seek shelter at a nunnery.

Romance of the Western Chamber
This is extracted from the classic Romance of the Western Chamber. Knowing that her lover Zhang Junrui is confined to his bed after her mother’s breaking the promise of marriage, Cui Ying Ying writes a poem of sympathy to him. Her maid, Hongniang, helps her to send the message to Zhang that she would like to have a tryst with him at the West Chamber at dusk. After getting the message, Zhang seems to be waiting for the moonlit, but he is indeed waiting for Cui’s visit. In his singing, it says that “The moon rises above the willow tree. At dusk she has a tryst with me. The wind blows and the flower’s shadow moves. All seems that you have come to me.”

Time to Go Home
Young general Wen Pingsheng and his wife, Pinniang, are deeply in love with each other. Jealous of the couple’s love, Wen’s cousins conspire with a doctor and claim that his wife has caught an incurable disease. Wen’s mother dislikes Pinniang for being barren and is also afraid that her son might get the disease. Pingshen’s mother forces Pinniang to live alone. After he goes out to battles, Pingshen’s mother expels Pinniang from the Wen’s family.

This selected scene says that Pingsheng survives numerous combats and goes home. He realizes that his wife has passed away. He has no choice but weeps with deep sorrow at her tomb…

Butterfly Lovers
Zhu Yingtai disguises herself as a man and goes to Hangzhou to study. Studying with Liang Shanbo for three years, Yingtai comes to have a tender feeling for Shanbo. Yingtai’s father lies to her that her mother is sick and urges Yingtai’s return. On the path that Shanbo sending off Yingtai, Yingtai shows her love to Shanbo in different ways, but Shanbo is so na?ve that he can’t understand her will. Until they meet at the pavilion, Shanbo has just awared that Yingtai is a lady. But Yingtai is forced by her father to marry Ma Wencai. Back at home, Shanbo falls ill from sorrow and dies.
This selected scene says that when Yingtai’s wedding procession passes Shanbo’s tomb, Yingtai gets off the sedan chair and offers sacrifices to him. A sudden bolt of lightning opens the tomb into which Yingtai dives…

The Chase of Han Xin under the Moon
At the end of the Qin Dynasty, mass uprisings blossom everywhere. Swordsman Han Xìn joins the Xiang Liang’s troop. The troop was defeated, Han Xìn pays allegiance to Xiangyu. Offering advice and being rejected by Xiangyu many times, Han Xìn leaves Xiangyu and switches to Liu Bang. Han Xìn violates the military discipline one day and should be beheaded. He asks Xia Houying before the punishment, “Doesn’t Liu Bang aim to build up his Kingdom? But why does he kill the warrior?” Xia Houying believes that Han Xìn is not an ordinary talent basing on his words and appearance. So he liberates Han Xìn and recommends him to Liu Bang. But he is not put in an important position. Xiao He appreciates him after discussions. On the road to Nan Zheng, Han Xìn thinks that it is difficult for Liu Bang to trust him and so he leaves. Xiao He finds his departure and so chases Han Xìn.

Lin Chong’s Nocturnal Escape
Lin Chong is the chief instructor in lance for the eight hundred thousand imperial guards.Gao Yanei, adopted son of Minister of War Gao Qiu, makes advances towards Lin’s wife while she is offering incense in Dongyue Temple. Fortunately, Lin saves his wife finally.
Being frustrated, Yanei speaks ill of Lin before his adopted father. Gao Qiu misleads Lin into White Tiger Hall, an area where all weapons are forbidden. Lin is eventually charged and exiled to Cangzhou, where he will be forced into hard labour. On the road to exile, Lin’s escorts try to kill him by order of Yanei. In Cangzhou, the fodder storage ground is set on fire at Qiu’s command. Fortunately, Lin escapes the disaster. Lin hears news that his faithful wife has committed suicide and is thrown into a violent rage, during which he slaughters the escorts. Now an outlaw, Lin is left with no choice but to join the Mount Liang Gang.

Two Heroic Families, written by Poon Cheuk and staged by Ng Chin-feng and Nam Fung, vividly portrays marriage and sibling relationships and the complications of love. This show will surely bring you another enjoyable evening and an exciting finale to the 2014 West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre.

Synopsis
There is an internal strife in the State of Qi, where a feudal lord kills the king and usurps the throne. General Xia Yunlong and his sister Yunxiang take the Crown Prince with them and flee the country. Since Yunlong is betrothed to He Caifeng, second daughter of the Marshal of the State of Wei, Yunlong goes to them in the hope that he can have their military aid to reinstate the Prince. Caifeng agrees to help but her elder brother Feihu is reluctant. He only relents on seeing how beautiful Yunxiang is.

Months have passed and Feihu has not returned. Yunlong loses patience and presses his wife Caifeng to let him have the military token to deploy the troops. Yunxiang and others plot together to procure the key to the military depot so that Yunlong can deploy his army to fight the Qi. He leads his soldiers to victory. But Feihu is found guilty of deploying the troops without permission, and his father is also incriminated. To save their father, Feihu and Caifeng bring the case to the Marshal’s Court, in a contention against Yunlong and Yunxiang. Yunlong is forced to withdraw his troops. His mother, Lady Xia, commits suicide in a bid to urge her son to take his army all the way to the Qi capital and quell the rebellion. The Crown Prince of Qi is reinstated, and he makes a gift of cities to the State of Wei as compensation for the He family’s crime.

Families love going to Cantonese opera during the Chinese New Year. The comedy Contention for the Seal, written by Lee Siu-wan, is surely a family “must see”. The act-ing of Leung Siu-ming and Chan Wing-yee will add much joy to the festive season.

Synopsis
The story takes place during the reign of Emperor Xian of Han. Shangguan Yunlong is the son of the Minister of War, and Situ Wenfeng is the daughter of the Minister of Personnel. Both are valiant generals, Yunlong having pacified the south, and Wenfeng, the west. The two happen to cross paths, and both are too proud to give way. They bring the case to the Emperor for ruling. The Emperor is caught in the middle and he strikes up a scheme: he bestows royal titles on them – Wenfeng is made a Princess, and Yunlong, a Prince. They are to go and marry according to His Majesty’s orders. The two are happy with the decoration, but little do they know that they are betrothed to each other. When the truth dawns on them on their wedding night, they go into another bout of bickering. Then news comes that their enemy in the north has invaded the border. The two contend for the Marshall’s seal on the royal drill ground, but there is no winner. The final decision is made by drawing lots, and the marshal position goes to Wenfeng, while Yunlong is to play assistant. When Wenfeng takes the roll call, Yunlong refuses to answer. Wenfeng punishes him to go fight the enemy alone. Yunlong is ambushed, and in dire straits, he sends for aid by shooting an arrow carrying a note. On receiving it, Wenfeng deploys her female troop into the battlefield, defeats the northern enemies, and rescues Yunlong. Despite all that, she finally decides to let Yunlong take the merit for the victory. The two finally make up in the name of love.

A programming concept this year is to invite famous performers to play the “Twin Actors and Single Actress” repertoires. Hence, The Lady’s Sash, written by Tang Ti-sheng, was chosen. With superb acting by Lee Lung, Wan Fai-yin Christina and Yuen Siu-fai, it is definitely a show not to be missed.

Synopsis
A military officer, Zhao Shizhen, is married to Lin Ruxiang. But he is by nature impulsive, suspicious and gets jealous easily. When his young son, Xilang, inadvertently leaves his mother’s sash in his teacher Lu Shike’s room, Zhao suspects his wife of having an affair with Lu. Although the misunderstanding is cleared later, Shike is already under the impression that Ruxiang is not a woman of chastity. He leaves the Zhao residence with a note stating the cause.

Zhao is taking a trip to investigate a case, but on the way, he happens to check into an inn run by gangsters. When a gangster tries to break into his room at night, Zhao subdues him. He wants to tie him up, and without thinking, he uses his wife’s sash that he carries on him. He cuts the gangster’s head and takes it with him before he goes. When the yamen come to investigate, the officers mistakenly believe that Zhao is the one who got killed, and with the sash as evidence, they bring Ruxiang in and charge her for murdering her husband. Ruxiang’s foster mother brings Ruxiang’s son, Xilang, to the yamen in a bid to prove her innocent. But the presiding judge happens to be no other than Lu Shike, the former teacher, who has plucked the laurels in the civil examination and has been appointed a magistrate. Without any examination into details, Lu decides that Ruxiang is guilty and sentences her to be executed. But he takes pity on the boy and takes him home to raise as his own. Later, Zhao returns to his home town, now made a high official. He happens to meet Lu, and is astounded by the news that Ruxiang is dead. He goes to her grave and weeps. It so happens that Ruxiang had escaped with the help of a prison warden on that fatal day. Everyone comes together at the grave where she is supposed to lie, and discover the truth. The Zhao family is happily reunited.

“The Pledge” from Peacocks Flying Southeast
“Bridal Chamber” from An Entangled Marriage
“The Den” from The Carp Spirit
“Flower Burial” from Dream of the Red Chamber
“Meeting in the Pavilion” from Butterfly Lovers

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By presenting traditional Cantonese Opera, the Bamboo Theatre wishes to high-light the unique essence of Cantonese Opera that Hong Kong has long retained. In consultation with Mr. Li Chi-kei and Mr. Yuen Siu-fai, Mr. Fredric Mao, programme curator of the Bamboo Theatre, has chosen Execution of The Duke’s Second Brother to be the opening Cantonese opera performance this year.

Originated from “Eighteen plays of Cantonese Opera” of the Qing Dynasty, Execu-tion of Two Kings is one of the oldest and most famous Cantonese operas of Guang-dong. With celebrated cast such as Law Ka-ying, Lung Koon-tin, Wong Chiu-kwan and Sun Kim-long, the coming of Execution of The Duke’s Second Brother is truly good news for Cantonese Opera fans!

Synopsis
Kuang Ruilong and his wife, née Zhang, have to flee their home after Kuang is incriminated by vicious libel. But the couple loses each other on the run. Lady Zhang, desperate and lost, intends to take her own life, but is saved by Zhang Zhong. The two become sworn brother and sister. Later, Zhong goes into the army, and when he is on an order to attack the Double Dragon Mountain, he happens to meet Ruilong, who has become a bandit there. Zhong persuades him to surrender and the two become sworn brothers. So it is through Zhong that Ruilong and his wife are reunited.

In pacifying the uprising, the Crown Prince Sima Yang admires the valiant Ruilong and Zhong, and the three become sworn brothers. When the old emperor abdicates, the Crown Prince ascends the throne. He invests the two sworn brothers with land and titles.

Li Long introduces his younger sister to the newly enthroned emperor so that she would become a royal concubine and himself, a powerful ‘brother-in-law of the emperor’. Yang indulges in a life of wine, woman and song, and neglects the state affairs. The disapproving Ruilong seeks Lady Li out and gives her a beating for leading the emperor astray, but in the commotion, his fist falls onto the emperor’s head. Yang, in his drunken state, accepts his favourite concubine’s suggestion and orders Ruilong to be executed. On hearing this, Zhong immediately rushes to court to stop the sentence, but it is too late. Lady Zhang hears of her husband’s death and leads an army to besiege the royal castle. Yang begs her for forgiveness and to retrieve her army by handing over the vicious Lady Li for her disposal.

Huangmei Xi: Excerpt from A Couple Enjoying the Lantern Festival
Huangmei Opera is a traditional theatrical genre popularly found in the region of Anhui and Hubei. It is one of the five major theatrical genres of China, and is distinguished by the natural, flowing vocal delivery and naturalistic presentation.
A Couple Enjoying the Lantern Festival is a classic of the Huangmei genre. At the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Wang Xiaolu and his wife, who live in a town in Anqing, happily take a stroll and admire the sea of lanterns on the streets and share the fun with their neighbours. In the course of it, some funny anecdotes happen. Presented in the lively song-and-dance format often found in folk entertainment, the play highlights the happiness of the peasant folks and how they find pleasure in simple, everyday things.

Xiangju: “Painting the Last Portraits” from The Story of the Lute
‘Xiang’ is the abbreviated reference to Hunan, so ‘Xiang Ju’ refers to a regional theatrical genre of the Hunan province. It is popularly found in the region of Changsha and Xiangtan. Its origin can be traced to the Yiyangqiang of the Ming period, but later it also assimilated other vocal styles such as Kunqiang and pihuang. It therefore is made up of many vocal types – gaoqiang, dipaizi, Kunqiang, luantan etc. – as found in various traditional theatrical forms. “Painting the last Portraits” is an excerpt from The Story of the Lute, a gaoqiang full-length opera in the Xiang Opera system. The story goes like this: Cai Bojie and Zhao Wuniang are newly-weds, but soon Cai has to leave home to go to the capital for the national civil examination. He plucks the laurels and is forced to become the Prime Minister’s son-in-law. Back home, the region has been struck by famine, and Cai’s father and mother die from hunger. His wife, Wuniang, paints the images of her in-laws to take with her before setting out to find her husband in the capital. Her neighbour, Zhang Guangcai, sees her off at the main road.

Xiju: “Trudge in the Snow” from The Pearl Pagoda
Wuxi Opera is one of the major regional theatrical genres of Jiangsu. It is popularly found in the southern and middle region of Jiangsu, Shanghai, northern Zhejiang, and south-eastern part of Anhui. Its vernacular nature gives it a strong earthy touch, but it is also naturalistic in depiction of emotions and in the dialogues.
The Pearl Pagoda is one of the best known works in Wuxi Opera. The story goes like this: Fang Qing is the grandson of a former prime minister, but his family has fallen into hard times. He goes to his aunt’s place to request for a loan, only to be humiliated because she is a snob. His cousin, Chen Cui’e, gives him the family heirloom, the precious pearl pagoda, to help him continue to study. Later, Fang does come top in the civil examination, and applies to return home to get married. He first disguises himself as a Taoist monk and comes to the Chen’s Residence to sing a song of wisdom to gives his aunt a piece of his mind. She is shamed into realizing her fault. The aunt and nephew make up, and in the end, Fang Qing and Cui’e are married.

Qinqiang: Blaming the Gods at the Temple
‘Qinqiang’ is one of the oldest theatrical forms that are still extant in China today and spawned the various subgenres of clapper opera. It is popularly found in the north-western part of China, such as Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. 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 people in that part of China.
Blaming the Gods at the Temple is an excerpt from the Qinqiang traditional opera, Wang Kui the Heartless. Wang Kui is a penniless scholar. When he faints in the snow out of hunger and cold, he is taken in by Xi Guiying, a famous courtesan. The two become married. Before Wang leaves for the capital to attend the national civil examination, the two go to the temple of the Sea God and make a pledge that they will remain true and faithful to each other no matter what. But when Wang comes top in the examination, he sends Guiying a letter of annulment. Devastated and heartbroken, Guiying brings her grievances before the Sea God at the temple in a tearful accusation of her unworthy lover before hanging herself.

Huaiju: “Invocation to Heaven” from Xianglin’s Wife

Chuanju: “Pricking Eyes” from Li Yaxian
Sichuan Opera has a long history, and is popularly found all over the province of Sichuan as well as in regions covering Yunnan and Guizhou. Its vocal style is a hybrid of gaoqiang, Kunqiang, huqinqiang, ruoqiang and the vernacular ‘lantern opera’ (dengxi). It is therefore very much a plebeian genre and is close to the heart of the people. The star of this performance, Shen Tiemei, is dubbed “the top vocalist” in Sichuan Opera, as she is able to build upon her solid command of singing styles of Sichuan Opera with the uniqueness of styles from Peking Opera and Kunqu, as well as the use of her naturally endowed voice to present a unique singing style.
The story goes like this: Zheng Yuanhe, the son of a high official, happens to meet Li Yaxian, a courtesan famous for her singing skills, in a market. It is love at first sight, and Zheng becomes a patron at Li’s Yichun Pavilion. But soon when he has spent all his money at the brothel, the pimp cheats him to get out of the door and then shuts it on him. The lovers are separated. While Zheng lives in destitute on the streets, Li abides by her love pledge and turns down patrons. Later, she and Zheng meet again. By this time, he is already in dire straits, having been sick and poor for a long time. In order to encourage her beloved to pick up the studies that he has long discarded, Li even pricks her eyes to make him aware love should not be everything. Zheng is finally brought around to see that he must work hard for their future.

Yangju and Yueju: “A Long Road and a Fond Parting” from Butterfly Lovers
Yang Opera is popularly found in the regions of Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, parts of Anhui, and Nanjing, Shanghai etc. This theatrical genre evolved from the ‘flower-drum playlets’, a folk song-and-dance performance, and xianghuoxi, or ‘joss plays’- the ritual performances to thank the gods held at temple fairs, of northern Suzhou. It assimilates the qingqu of Yangzhou and folk ditties in its music. The actor playing the role of Liang Shanbo in this excerpt sings in the tradition of Yang Opera.
Yue Opera is popularly found in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Fujian, and is one of the five main types of regional opera in China. The subject matter is often about the romantic love between ‘talented scholars and pretty ladies’. Yue Opera’s distinctive feature is its lyricism; the vocal delivery is sweet, sonorous, and appealing, while naturalism is favoured in the presentation. The overall effect reflects the delicate beauty of scenic Jiangnan. The actor playing the role of Zhu Yingtai in this excerpt sings in the tradition of Yue Opera.

“Killing Xi” from The Black Dragon House
The story is taken from the famous Chinese classic novel, The Water Margin. Song Jiang takes Yan Xijiao in as his concubine and sets up a home for her at the Black Dragon House. But he and Yan are on bad terms with each other. Yan strikes up an affair with Zhang Wenyuan, the scribe of Song’s yamen. Song has connections with the rebels on Liangshan, and receives an invitation from their leader to join them in the conspired uprising. He puts the letter in an office envelope but before he can destroy it, he bumps into Yan’s mother, who coerces him into going back to the Black Dragon House for the night. The next morning, in his hurry to leave, Song leaves behind the envelope. It is found by Yan, and when Song returns to get it, Yan lays down three conditions before she would hand it over. Song cannot but accept, yet still Yan forces her hand by threatening to reveal him at the magistrate’s court. Much provoked, Song kills Yan in his rage.

“Cixi and Dening” from Dawn at the Forbidden City
(also known as “In the Moonlight” from Dawn at the Forbidden City )
This is a new work in the historical drama genre. The story takes place during the last part of the 19th Century, on the eve of the outbreak of the 1911 Revolution. At a time when China’s doors remain firmly shut to the West, the vivacious De Ling, a Qing Dynasty princess brought up and educated in the West, enters the Forbidden City. Behind the heavy gates are the age-old precepts of palace life and court strife, under the domineering Empress Dowager Cixi. They offer a startling contrast to De Ling’s perception and understanding of the civilized West, and so the story of this drama begins.

“Farewell My Concubine” from Xiang Yu

Excerpt from Cuiping Mountain
The story is taken from The Water Margin. Yang Xiong and Shi Xiu are sworn brothers, and Yang helps Shi to open a butcher’s shop. Yang’s wife, Pan Qiaoyun, has an affair with a monk, Pei Ruhai. Shi sees through it and warns Yang of this. Yang returns home drunk, and Qiaoyun and her maid corroborate to accuse Shi of trying to seduce her. Yang is fooled and has a fall-out with Shi. Shi grudgingly leaves as he is unable to clear his name. That night, in a drunken state, he kills Pei in their tryst, and shows Yang the proof of their adultery. The reveal makes Yang realize that Shi is innocent, and the two hatch a plot in which they lure Pan and her maid to Cuiping Mountain in order to get them to tell the truth. After that, they kill the two women before heading to Liangshan to join the rebels there.