Cheng Yanqiu, the founder of the Cheng school, was one of the ‘Four Great Actors in Dan Roles’ in Peking Opera. The singing art of the Cheng school is highly distinctive and is particularly skilful in singing with a tone projected from the back of the head. The singing style fully highlights the contrasts of high and low, strong and weak, creating a soulful, subtle voice that is both intermittent and continual. The year 2018 marked the 60th anniversary of the death of Cheng Yanqiu, in order to commemorate this virtuoso, the Second Troupe of the China National Peking Opera Company is going to bring three full-length plays to the audience. All three plays are headlined by Li Haiyan, a renowned qingyi (virtuous female) role actress of Cheng school and winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre. She presents the uniquely stylish vocal style, visual expressions, stylised movements, footwork, hand gestures, sleeves, etc. of the Cheng school fully on stage.

The beautifully sung Consort Mei, created by Cheng Yanqiu in 1925, has not been presented on a Hong Kong stage for a long time. Different from the well-known story between Imperial Concubine Yang Yuhuan and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang presented by the Mei school, this repertoire depicts the sad emotions between Consort Mei and the Emperor by the interpretation of Cheng school. The Unicorn Pouch is a classic play of the Cheng school, which is characterised by sophisticated singing and a variety of ban patterns、 it is a classic that demonstrates the vocal style and the art of stylised movement of the Cheng school. Anecdotes about Empress Wu Zetian is a grand production written by Li Shiji in the 1990s. Li was a disciple of Cheng Yanqiu and received personal training from the master. Li Haiyan inherits the art and received the personal supervision from the late Li Shiji in her rehearsal of the play and she is currently the only Cheng school bearer of this repertoire.

Originated from the regions of Putian and Xianyou, Puxian Opera was originally known as ‘Xinghua Opera’. It is one of the five major opera genres of Fujian, alongside Liyuan Opera, Fuzhou Opera (Min Opera), Gaojia Opera and Xiang Opera (Gezi Opera). Puxian Opera has a long history and consists of more than 5 000 titles of traditional stock repertory, with about 80 of them retaining all the elements of the original Southern Opera by its cultural provenance. Therefore, the genre is known as the ‘living fossil’ of Southern Opera of the Song and Yuan dynasties. The genre was inscribed in the first listing of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2006.

Puxian Opera is influenced by puppetry. Many of the gesturing remind the audience of the style of marionettes. In terms of music, the genre features a rich repertoire of set tunes and unique vocal styles. It is sung in the dialect of Puxian and has preserved much of the heritage musical sound of Southern Opera from the Song and Yuan dynasties. The singing is a vocal style packed with rich local colours and flavours.

All the plays in this programme are the traditional repertoires of Puxian Opera. Winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer Wang Shaoyuan will join Wu Qinghua and Huang Yanyan, the Director and Vice Director of Fujian Puxian Theatre, and lead the fine cast to perform The Imperial Scholar and the Beggar, Thrice Begging Fan Lihua, and an excerpt performance. In these performances, the unique nuance of Puxian Opera will be demonstrated through the specific stylised movements of the genre, such as ‘sedan-chair carrying’, ‘chair routine’, ‘floor-sweeping skirt’, ‘the three-legged cane’ and ‘the hoe routine’, etc.

Originated from the regions of Putian and Xianyou, Puxian Opera was originally known as ‘Xinghua Opera’. It is one of the five major opera genres of Fujian, alongside Liyuan Opera, Fuzhou Opera (Min Opera), Gaojia Opera and Xiang Opera (Gezi Opera). Puxian Opera has a long history and consists of more than 5 000 titles of traditional stock repertory, with about 80 of them retaining all the elements of the original Southern Opera by its cultural provenance. Therefore, the genre is known as the ‘living fossil’ of Southern Opera of the Song and Yuan dynasties. The genre was inscribed in the first listing of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2006.

Puxian Opera is influenced by puppetry. Many of the gesturing remind the audience of the style of marionettes. In terms of music, the genre features a rich repertoire of set tunes and unique vocal styles. It is sung in the dialect of Puxian and has preserved much of the heritage musical sound of Southern Opera from the Song and Yuan dynasties. The singing is a vocal style packed with rich local colours and flavours.

All the plays in this programme are the traditional repertoires of Puxian Opera. Winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer Wang Shaoyuan will join Wu Qinghua and Huang Yanyan, the Director and Vice Director of Fujian Puxian Theatre, and lead the fine cast to perform The Imperial Scholar and the Beggar, Thrice Begging Fan Lihua, and an excerpt performance. In these performances, the unique nuance of Puxian Opera will be demonstrated through the specific stylised movements of the genre, such as ‘sedan-chair carrying’, ‘chair routine’, ‘floor-sweeping skirt’, ‘the three-legged cane’ and ‘the hoe routine’, etc.

Yue Opera, also known as Shaoxing Opera, is originated from Shengzhou, Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, i.e. where the ancient kingdom Yue was located, and thus the genre is named for ‘Yue Opera’. Yue Opera is usually formed by the all-female cast. It is characterised by its lyrical singing and the subtlety and tenderness of the melodies, while the makeup style of the actors is graceful and glamorous. Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing will be staging four plays in this series, including the grand production of Qu Yuan, as well as classic titles including How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince, The Lady General Mu Guiying Leads Her Army to War and Three Glimpses of the Princess. All these four full-length plays are performed by Wu Fenghua, a xiaosheng (young male) role player of the Fan (Ruijuan) school, two-time winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer. She is joined by three other winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performers, namely, Wu Suying from the Lu (Ruiying) school, Chen Fei from the Fu (Quanxiang) school, as well as Zhang Lin from the Yin (Guifang) school. Strong cast of virtuosi gathered on the same stage is undoubtedly attractive.

Three Glimpses of the Princess, on the other hand, is a timeless classic comedy.

Based on The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Red Chamber – Theatre of the Voice of Yue Opera unfolds along the main axis of the tragic love between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, focusing on the coming-of-age of Jia to inject an even more intense boost of youthfulness to the play and to underscore the uniqueness of the romance between the couple.

Excerpts：Gualao Grows Gourds, The Butterfly Lovers-Mourning, Chuncao Barging into the Court Room-Bearing the Sedan-Chair, Guo Hua-Cosmetics Shop, Li Yangui-Rescuing Brother-in-law, and Lu Mengzheng-Great News from the Capital City

Originated from the regions of Putian and Xianyou, Puxian Opera was originally known as ‘Xinghua Opera’. It is one of the five major opera genres of Fujian, alongside Liyuan Opera, Fuzhou Opera (Min Opera), Gaojia Opera and Xiang Opera (Gezi Opera). Puxian Opera has a long history and consists of more than 5 000 titles of traditional stock repertory, with about 80 of them retaining all the elements of the original Southern Opera by its cultural provenance. Therefore, the genre is known as the ‘living fossil’ of Southern Opera of the Song and Yuan dynasties. The genre was inscribed in the first listing of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2006.

Puxian Opera is influenced by puppetry. Many of the gesturing remind the audience of the style of marionettes. In terms of music, the genre features a rich repertoire of set tunes and unique vocal styles. It is sung in the dialect of Puxian and has preserved much of the heritage musical sound of Southern Opera from the Song and Yuan dynasties. The singing is a vocal style packed with rich local colours and flavours.

All the plays in this programme are the traditional repertoires of Puxian Opera. Winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer Wang Shaoyuan will join Wu Qinghua and Huang Yanyan, the Director and Vice Director of Fujian Puxian Theatre, and lead the fine cast to perform The Imperial Scholar and the Beggar, Thrice Begging Fan Lihua, and an excerpt performance. In these performances, the unique nuance of Puxian Opera will be demonstrated through the specific stylised movements of the genre, such as ‘sedan-chair carrying’, ‘chair routine’, ‘floor-sweeping skirt’, ‘the three-legged cane’ and ‘the hoe routine’, etc.

Yue Opera, also known as Shaoxing Opera, is originated from Shengzhou, Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, i.e. where the ancient kingdom Yue was located, and thus the genre is named for ‘Yue Opera’. Yue Opera is usually formed by the all-female cast. It is characterised by its lyrical singing and the subtlety and tenderness of the melodies, while the makeup style of the actors is graceful and glamorous. Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing will be staging four plays in this series, including the grand production of Qu Yuan, as well as classic titles including How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince, The Lady General Mu Guiying Leads Her Army to War and Three Glimpses of the Princess. All these four full-length plays are performed by Wu Fenghua, a xiaosheng (young male) role player of the Fan (Ruijuan) school, two-time winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer. She is joined by three other winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performers, namely, Wu Suying from the Lu (Ruiying) school, Chen Fei from the Fu (Quanxiang) school, as well as Zhang Lin from the Yin (Guifang) school. Strong cast of virtuosi gathered on the same stage is undoubtedly attractive.

The Lady General Mu Guiying Leads Her Army to War is a civil and martial play characterised by complicated singing and gesturing. Wu Fenghua plays the role of Yang Zongbao and highly demonstrates her marvellous civil and martial skills. Famed for her handsome look and elegant demeanour, Wu stands out from fellow female actors in the xiaosheng role.

Yue Opera, also known as Shaoxing Opera, is originated from Shengzhou, Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, i.e. where the ancient kingdom Yue was located, and thus the genre is named for ‘Yue Opera’. Yue Opera is usually formed by the all-female cast. It is characterised by its lyrical singing and the subtlety and tenderness of the melodies, while the makeup style of the actors is graceful and glamorous. Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing will be staging four plays in this series, including the grand production of Qu Yuan, as well as classic titles including How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince, The Lady General Mu Guiying Leads Her Army to War and Three Glimpses of the Princess. All these four full-length plays are performed by Wu Fenghua, a xiaosheng (young male) role player of the Fan (Ruijuan) school, two-time winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer. She is joined by three other winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performers, namely, Wu Suying from the Lu (Ruiying) school, Chen Fei from the Fu (Quanxiang) school, as well as Zhang Lin from the Yin (Guifang) school. Strong cast of virtuosi gathered on the same stage is undoubtedly attractive.

Qu Yuan is a distinguished Yue Opera play of virtuoso Yin Guifang in her later years. The play expanded the artistic aspects of Yue Opera to present the solemn and tragic story of the historic figure Qu Yuan. It requires a high-level of singing and acting skills. Wu Fenghua has made breakthroughs in the role of xiaosheng in her powerful interpretation of the patriotic and noble poet. The audience will be able to experience intense drama tension.

Yue Opera, also known as Shaoxing Opera, is originated from Shengzhou, Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, i.e. where the ancient kingdom Yue was located, and thus the genre is named for ‘Yue Opera’. Yue Opera is usually formed by the all-female cast. It is characterised by its lyrical singing and the subtlety and tenderness of the melodies, while the makeup style of the actors is graceful and glamorous. Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing will be staging four plays in this series, including the grand production of Qu Yuan, as well as classic titles including How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince, The Lady General Mu Guiying Leads Her Army to War and Three Glimpses of the Princess. All these four full-length plays are performed by Wu Fenghua, a xiaosheng (young male) role player of the Fan (Ruijuan) school, two-time winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performer. She is joined by three other winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and National Class One Performers, namely, Wu Suying from the Lu (Ruiying) school, Chen Fei from the Fu (Quanxiang) school, as well as Zhang Lin from the Yin (Guifang) school. Strong cast of virtuosi gathered on the same stage is undoubtedly attractive.

How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince was the play that won Wu Fenghua her second Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre. It is also one of the most popular productions of the Troupe in recent years.

The timeless legend The Palace of Eternal Life is an everlasting classic in Kunqu Opera. Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe debuted the full-length version of The Palace of Eternal Life in Shanghai in 2007. Ten years went past, and Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe once again staged this classic production across major Chinese cities with its full cast in 2017. The performances have been highly successful and popular. The Palace of Eternal Life, written by dramatist Hong Sheng of the Qing dynasty, was inspired by The Song of Everlasting Regret by poet Bai Juyi of the Tang dynasty and Za Opera The Firmiana Rain by dramatist Bai Pu of the Yuan dynasty. Based on the beautiful yet sad love story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Imperial Concubine Yang Yuhuan, the play is reputed as a grand epic of Chinese opera. Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe arranges and presents the play in four chapters to feature two parallel plot lines: the love between the Emperor and Lady Yang, and An Lushan Rebellion. While the four chapters are relatively independent on their own right, they also dovetail with one another. A collection of body movements, vocal styles and music are created that are not performed in usual excerpt performances, demonstrating creativity in every aspect. The Troupe strives for perfection and excellence in terms of showmanship, music, set design, lighting, costumes, styling and props in this rerun. The script has been meticulously revised, and the production is committed to illustrate refinement and grandeur. The performance is headlined by renowned Kunqu Opera artists Cai Zhengren who is already over 70 years old. He would lead the cast of younger actors, including Li An, Shen Yili, Yu Bin, Luo Chenxue and Ni Xuhao to perform in this programme. The gem of Kunqu Opera is now brought to the stage again in full cast of elite actors of different generations and cohorts.

Chapter Three The Mutiny at Mawei

On the 7th evening of the 7th Lunar month, Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang vow in the imperial garden to be husband and wife in every fresh life and never be parted. While they are singing and drinking in the imperial palace, An Lushan rebels and enters the Tongguan Pass, with the aim to take the capital. Emperor Xuanzong flees westward to Sichuan, but his escort troops turns into a mob at the Mawei station. The troops slay Prime Minister Yang, Lady Yang’s brother, and demand that Lady Yang be put to death. While the Emperor refuses to comply, Lady Yang sees no way out and agrees to sacrifice herself to exchange for the Emperor’s safety. Having no choice, the Emperor, torn, gives in. Lady Yang then hangs herself with a white silk cord. One raining night after the death of Lady Yang, the Emperor is drowned in sorrows. The bells under the eaves chime in, only to sink him deeper.