Xiqu

Ou Opera, originally known as Wenzhou luantan, is one of the regional theatrical genres. It was inscribed onto the second listing of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China in 2008. It consists of both civil and martial repertories, with the former distinguished by delicate singing and the latter, uniquely devised stunts. The vocal styles are diverse, so the emotive spectrum covers grand, impassioned as well as quaint and restrained expressions.

On its visit to Hong Kong, the Wenzhou Opera Research Institute will present three full-length productions, The Legend of the White Snake, Killing a Dog to Admonish Her Husband and Gao Ji and Wu Sanchun. The cast will be led by two leading lights in Ou Opera today: Fang Rujiang, winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, and Cai Xiaoqiu, winner of the Lead Actor Award at the Shanghai Magnolia Performing Arts Award. The Legend of the White Snake is a classic in Ou Opera, known for the balanced focus on both singing and acting. In The Broken Bridge from this classic, Fang Rujiang won the first Plum Blossom Award in the history of Ou Opera with his portrayal of the male protagonist, Xu Xian. Killing a Dog to Admonish Her Husband is one of the four major nanxi (Southern Opera) plays of China. Sharing the origin with the nanxi of the Song and Yuan period, the Ou Opera of Wenzhou retains the age-old elements but gives it a New Adaptation. The staging also models upon the old nanxi with impressive effects. Gao Ji and Wu Sanchun tells the story of a pair of lovers who, despite social class differences, dares to challenge the feudal inhibitions. Their tragic love story has been a folklore popularly told in the Zhejiang area. After being written into the Ou Opera repertory, it has won rave response from audiences all over China.

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Killing a Dog to Admonish Her Husband

Wenzhou is known as the birthplace of nanxi (Southern Opera), the earliest form of Chinese opera to have reached full mature form. Killing a Dog to Admonish Her Husband is one of the four signature plays of Southern Opera, and exemplifies its staging and formulaic performance. Created in 1999 with Xie Ping’an as director, it has been recognized as one of the most representative works in Ou Opera. The scenography focuses on reviving the ancient style, and retains the role of ‘the stagehand’ as used in ancient Southern Opera. The accompanying ensemble is also put on the stage so that the musicians are part of the performance. Also, with the actors freely engaging in and disengaging themselves from the roles they play, it demonstrates the sophisticated theatrical art of Southern Opera. The rather depressing story is given comic relief so as to turn the theatre experience into that of ‘absurd comedy’, and allow the audience to rethink the ways of the world.

The Sun family is made up of two brothers: the younger brother Sun Rong is righteous and eager to learn; the elder, Sun Hua, being the master of the house, is dissipated and undisciplined although he has the luck to marry a kind-hearted, intelligent wife Yang Yuezhen. Sun Hua befriends idlers like Hu Zichuan and Liu Longqing, and becomes a libertine. His friends instigate conflicts between the brothers, and so under their influence, Sun Hua expels his younger brother from the house. In the hope to lead her husband back onto the right track, Yuezhen devises a plan to reveal people’s true intentions, by means of a dog carcass. She kills a dog, dresses the carcass in human clothes, and places it at the entrance of the house. When Sun Hua arrives home, he is terrified by the dead body and runs to seek help from his buddies, Hu and Liu. But now the two only give him a cold shoulder in return. On the contrary, his brother Sun Rong offers help without hesitation when Sun Hua turns to him. Later Hu and Liu even use this incident to blackmail Sun Hua. At this juncture, Yuezhen steps in and reveals the truth. By the different responses among his so-called buddies and his brother, Sun Hua finally comes to his senses and restores his relationship with his younger brother. They can now enjoy familial harmony again.