![]() “This mix of death-defying acrobatics and ancient Chinese tradition is a breath of fresh air. Peking opera’s Farewell My Concubine was welcomed in Liverpool and the Merseysider magazine gave it five stars, calling it “one of the most significant cultural events” in many years. Veteran performer Yu Kuizhi, who plays the lead role in both plays, says: “As Peking opera is unfamiliar to British audiences, we exaggerate our moves and gestures to help audiences understand the content.” We also omitted some scenes to make the script tighter,” Sun says. So we changed it to two and half, including a break in between. “Peking opera usually takes three hours which is long by standards of Western drama. The troupe of more than 60 singers, actors and actresses and musicians made several changes to the usual script, such as the duration, for Western audiences. involving a hero and a beauty, it is also a matter of life and death,” Sun says. In Farewell My Concubine, the main role belongs to Xiang Yu, a general from ancient China who was loved by his people even though he had been defeated in war. That apart, audiences are able to clearly understand how different scenes play out and the feelings the characters have for their country. The Warrior Women of Yang has a cast of more than 50 members performing combat acts and acrobatics. “The two plays reveal the performing styles and the best of martial arts in this art form.” “The storylines have many ups and downs, giving audiences a chance to view Peking opera’s grand momentum,” says Sun Guiyuan, the national director of the theater company. The shows began in Liverpool on Nov 11 and traveled to London subsequently before closing on Nov 22.ĭuring the period, the China National Peking opera Company presented two operas:įarewell My Concubine, which is the tale of a king’s concubine who kills herself rather than be captured by enemy forces, and The Warrior Women of Yang, a story of courage, patriotism and family loyalty of women in ancient China. Members of the opera’s troupe combine vocal narrations with music, acrobatics, acting, martial arts and dance. Peking opera, known as Jingju in Chinese, is a traditional theater form of China that dates back to the 18th century. With star performers, lavish costumes, elaborate makeup and quick acrobatics, the Peking opera brought two of its masterpieces to Britain for the first time in a decade.
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