Xiqu

Yue Opera (also known as “Shaoxing Opera”) is known for its brilliant lyrical repertoire, which is primarily presented with singing. The melodies of Yue Opera are soft and gentle; the singing style is elegant, beautiful and full of grace. The Number One Troupe of the Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group will be staging The Dream of the Red Chamber, the signature play of Yue Opera. Built around the tragic love story of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, the play reveals the rise and fall of an extended feudal family. The Dream of the Red Chamber has been performing recurrently since its premiere. In fact, its name was once synonymous to Yue Opera. The Double-pearl Phoenix Hairpin is a classic in the repertoire of the Lu (Jinhua) school. It tells the boy-meets-girl story of Wen Bizheng, a Ming dynasty first-place scholar of Luoyang’s provincial examination, and the beautiful Huo Dingjin, the only daughter of the Minister of Appointment Huo Tianrong. The new edition has preserved the classic singing segments and plotlines, but the libretto has been updated to tell an even more dazzling tale with romantic twists and turns after Wen and Huo fall in love at the first sight. The newly written play Bronze Bird Terrace is adapted by Li Li, the former director of Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group and National Class One Playwright, and her co-writer Huang Yan. The play presents the story of Zhen Luo and Cao Zhi. After its 2014 premiere in the Mainland, Bronze Bird Terrace will be staging in Hong Kong for the first time. The three full-length plays are all led by Fang Yafen, a celebrated Yuan (Xuefen) school huadan (female lead) role performer, the winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and the director of Number One Troupe of the Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group. She will be sharing the stage with Lu (Jinhua) school xiaosheng (young male) role player and National Class One Actor Xu Biaoxin, as well as Yin (Guifang) school xiaosheng role player Qi Chunlei. The excerpt performance will be presented by seasoned guest artists and the winners of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, Shan Yangping who plays the huadan role of the school of Wang (Wenjuan) and renowned Fan (Ruijuan) school xiaosheng role player Zhang Ruihong.