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Led by Cantonese opera virtuosi Ng Chin-fung and Chan Ho-kau, the locally based Golden Phoenix Cantonese Opera will perform the new Cantonese opera "A Floating Life" and the classical work "Romance and Hatred" in December. Other performers include Sun Kim-long, Liu Kwok-sum, Lui Hung-kwong, Ko Lai and Wan Yuk-yu.
"A Floating Life" is presented in the form of narrative singing and traces the misfortunes that befall a loving couple whose only ambition is to stay together. Qing Dynasty writer Shen Sanbai (Ng Chin-fung) is Yunniang's (Chan Ho-kau) cousin on the maternal side. At 13 years of age Sanbai meets Yunniang when he accompanies his mother on a visit to her maternal home, and they fall in love. After Sanbai and Yunniang marry they spend their days doing whatever they like - travelling places, admiring flowers under the moon, composing poems and discussing the classics. In their chamber, they also have a portrait of the celestial match-matcher whom they worship in the hope of being blessed as husband and wife forever in future incarnations. After Yunniang loses favour with her mother-in-law and becomes at odds with her father-in-law, the couple are expelled from the family. They soon find themselves in dire straits - Sanbai is too poor to raise his children or to pay for a doctor to treat his sick wife. It all ends in tragedy.
"Romance and Hatred" is the story of two families during the Yuan dynasty. A Han, Fan Bocheng, plots to overthrow the inefficient and corrupt Yuan dynasty, yet his plan is exposed by Yuwen Zhihao. Consequently the whole of Fan's clan is wiped out, the only exception being Bocheng's youngest son, Wenqian, who has been living in the residence of Fan Boru. Fifteen years later, the incognito Wenqian meets Yuwen Shuxian, a daughter of Zhihao, in a temple. They fall in love at first sight. Zhihao appreciates the intelligence of Wenqian and so arranges for him to marry into the Yuwen family as his son-in-law. Shortly after the marriage, Wenqian learns the whole story of the twenty years of hatred and his mind becomes complete turmoil. Wenqian plans to leave the city to go to Jiangnan at midnight by boat. Wenqian is at his wit's end but needs an excuse to leave and has no alternative but to tell Shuxian the whole story. Shuxian, though reluctant, lets her husband go.
The three performances will start at 7.30pm. Details are as follows:
"Romance and Hatred"
December 7 (Friday)
Theatre, Ko Shan Theatre
"A Floating Life"
December 14 (Friday)
Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall
December 15 (Saturday)
Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre
These performances by the Golden Phoenix Cantonese Opera are presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced ranging from $100 to $320 are now available at URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. 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 available on a first-come, first-served basis).
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325. For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
Admission-free activities for this programme (conducted in Cantonese), with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis, include:
Pre-performance Talk
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Speakers: Cheung Chak-ming, Ng Chin-fung, Chan Ho-kau
Date: November 29 (Thursday)
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Post-performance Talk
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Speakers: Ng Chin-fung, Chan Ho-kau
Date: December 20 (Thursday)
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Ends/Friday, October 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:00
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