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A group of talented young Cantonese opera artists from the Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe will perform three renowned works featuring multiple martial arts scenes - "A Warring Couple", "Hanjiang Pass" and "Plucking the Tassels" - in August.
The young artists participating in the performances include Lam Tin-yau, Cheng Nga-kei, Johnson Yuen, To Wing-sum(August 7), Tam Wing-lun (August 23 and 29), Kwok Kai-fai (August 29), Lam Tsz-ching and Kwan Hoi-shan (August 7 and 23). Details of the programmes are as follows:
August 7 (Friday) 7.30pm
"A Warring Couple"
Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall
Tickets: $100, $120, $140 and $160
Shangguan Yunlong and Situ Wenfeng both return triumphant after quelling unrest in the southern and western provinces respectively. They meet and a confrontation follows as neither refuses to give way. They take their dispute to Emperor Xian for a ruling, failing which both threaten to resign. Caught in a dilemma, the emperor comes up with a trick - he will confer upon Situ the title of "Princess Royal" and Shangguan the title of "Duke". The two are ordered to marry by royal decree.
It happens that the Northern Di barbarians are threatening the borders. Shangguan and Situ contend for the marshal's seal at the drill ground. Since they are each other's equal, the emperor decides to let them draw lots. Situ wins and becomes marshal. When she assigns the duties, Shangguan disobeys her order. She punishes him by sending him out to battle on his own. He falls into the enemy's trap, and has to ask for reinforcement from the camp. Situ comes to his aid with her troops, at the same time driving out the Northern Di. But she comes to realise that she should not allow personal grievances to get in the way of state affairs, and defers the honour to Shangguan.
August 23 (Sunday) 7.30pm
"Hanjiang Pass"
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Tickets: $100, $140 and $180
Xue Rengui and his son Dingshan go on an expedition to expel the encroaching Western Liao army. When the army arrives at Hanjiang Pass, Rengui and his aide Cheng Yaojin are defeated by Fan Lihua, who is in her previous life betrothed to Dingshan. Fan captures Dingshan three times but lets him go every time. When she returns to the camp, Fan is chastised by her father for freeing the enemy. In the heated argument that ensues, she kills her father and brother by accident. So she takes her army and surrenders to the Tang camp. On the way, she takes down a highway bandit, Wang Yinglong, who is willing to serve her as her foster son. On their wedding night, Dingshan is enraged when he sees Fan's foster son and accuses her of having loose morals. The newlyweds quarrel and Fan returns to Hanjiang Pass with a sense of ill use and being wronged.
The war continues and Rengui's last words before he dies are, "If the Tang army wants to take Western Liao, the only person to win the war is Fan". He instructs Dingshan to go and apologise to Fan. Dingshan kowtows his way to Hanjiang Pass to apologise. His sincerity wins Fan's pardon, and the two lead their joint forces to drive away the Liao invaders.
August 29 (Saturday) 7.30pm
"Plucking the Tassels"
Auditorium, Tai Po Civic Centre
Tickets: $100 and $160
General Tang Jiao and Xu Yuji are in love. The queen's brother, who is attracted to Xu, suffers a rebuff and suggests to the King of Chu that he takes her as his concubine. Unable to disobey the King's orders, Xu pretends to be unfaithful to Tang so he would give up on her. When the Jin army attacks the Chu camp with fire, the King of Chu is defeated. Xu seeks Tang for help. Initially torn between love and hate, the two finally resolve their misunderstanding. Tang rescues Xu but dies in her arms from a fatal arrow wound.
The performances by the Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe are one of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's "Chivalry and Valiance in Chinese Opera Series" programmes. Tickets are now available at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for full-time students and CSSA recipients are available on a first come, first served basis.)
A post-performance talk (conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on August 31 (Monday) at AC1, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Speakers will include Lam Tin-yau and Cheng Nga-kei. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/program_880.html. Telephone credit card bookings can be made on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Friday, June 12, 2015
Issued at HKT 11:04
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