Xiqu

This lyrical comedy is one of the classics in the repertoire of Xu Yulan and followers of her stylistic school. Premiered in 1980 by the Second Troupe of the Shanghai Yue Opera Group, the play is adapted from the work of the same title by dramatist Wu Bing (1595 – 1648) of the Ming period and the Kunqu libretto by dramatist Bei Geng. The comical effects are created through a series of misunderstandings and coincidences. The stubborn and nerdy scholar, Zhang Jihua, played by Xu Yulan, is simple-minded, good natured and devoted to his love. The young lady Wang Yuzhen played by Wang Wenjuan, is quiet and reserved on the outside but passionate and daring on the inside, a girl who has the guts to break the bondage of feudal doctrines.
The story begins with Zhang Jihua wandering into the West Garden, the hermitage of Zhao Li, by mistake. It so happens that Wang Yuzhen is upstairs trying to pick plum blossoms. She accidentally drops a flower on Zhang, and the latter takes this as a tease to catch his attention. He also mistakenly takes her as Yuying, the daughter of the Zhao family. Zhao Li admires the scholastic acumen of Zhang, and hires him to teach at his residence. One day, Zhang runs into Yuzhen again in the garden. He takes the opportunity to reveal his feelings to her, but Yuzhen sighs and leaves in tears. While Zhang is bewildered about this encounter, the gardener comes up to inform him of the death of the Zhao’s daughter, Yuying. The information shocks Zhang so much that he thinks he has seen her ghost. After a lot of hilarious mishaps, Zhang gets to realise that Yuzhen is the sworn sister of Yuying. The two are finally married.