Xiqu

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.