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A group of young Cantonese opera talents from the Sunny Cantonese Opera Troupe including Li Qiuyuan, Hong Wah, Lai Yiu-wai, Kim Ying, Kim Lun and Wong Hai-wing, who have strong technique and fine voices, will give two performances in February next year.
The first show, "Di Qing and Princess Shuangyang", will be staged at 7.30pm on February 1 (Sunday) at the Theatre of the Yau Ma Tei Theatre. The second performance will take place at 7.30pm on February 2 (Monday) at the Theatre of Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre and feature "Forty Years of a Love Lost".
"Di Qing and Princess Shuangyang" takes place during the Northern Song dynasty. The Liao of the Kara-Khitan Khanate are waging war at the western border. The Song emperor orders Prince Baxian to pick a marshal for an offensive expedition. Di Qing wins a duel against Han Tianhua for the post of marshal. His vanguard, Jiao Tinggui, enters the Shanshan state by mistake, and Di falls into the hands of Princess Shuangyang as a prisoner of war and is later made her consort. The Song court finds this outrageous, has Di's mother placed under arrest and orders Di to return to ask for forgiveness. Di gets back his sword and horse, and manages to breach three gates during the night to escape. Shuangyang chases after him, but, on catching up, is moved by his heartfelt plea to go home and lets him go. When the Song land is under attack by the Liao again, the emperor orders the indicted Di to lead the army as compensation for his crimes. Di gets trapped inside a gulley, but Shuangyang arrives with reinforcements and defeats the Liao troops, and husband and wife are reunited.
"Forty Years of a Love Lost" takes place during the Southern Song period. The patriot-poet Lu You marries his cousin Tang Wan. Lu falls victim to the despotic and corrupt powers in the court, gets demoted and is stripped of his position. His superstitious mother comes to believe that Tang has brought bad luck to her husband and the family, and forces her to become a nun. Tang is saved by Zhao Shicheng and, out of gratitude, marries him. On the other hand, Lu marries Wang Chun'e at his mother's wish. Three years later, when Tang tours the Shen Garden with her husband, they run into Lu. The chance and short reunion triggers sad memories of their lost love.
The performances by the Sunny Cantonese Opera Troupe for the Young Cantonese Opera Artists Series are presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced from $100 to $140 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). Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/program_706.html. For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
A post-performance talk (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on February 3 (Tuesday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Speakers will include Li Qiuyuan and Hong Wah. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ends/Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 10:00
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