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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has invited the acclaimed Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe to return with two performances - "Riding by the Wall" and excerpts from various classics - in January next year. The performances will be held at the Auditorium of the newly built Ko Shan Theatre New Wing.
"Riding by the Wall" will be held at 7.30pm on January 30 (Friday). The work, with a comedic touch, is an adaptation of a zaju drama of the same title by Bai Pu of the Yuan Dynasty. The play is in the master repertoire of the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe. The cast will include Yue Meiti, Zhang Jingxian, Li An and Luo Chenxue.
The story begins when Pei Shaojun, the son of the minister of defence, and Li Qianjun, the daughter of the brigade commander of Luoyang City, fall in love at first sight when Pei rides by the city wall where Li happens to be standing. Li impulsively decides to elope with Pei, but Pei dares not tell his father the truth and hides Li in the back garden of the Minister's residence. They keep their marriage secret from the Minister for seven years during which they have children. When the Minister discovers the secret by accident, he forces his son to annul the marriage. But the couple finally reunite after Pei comes top in the imperial examination and the real identity of Li is revealed.
The second performance, featuring excerpts from classic works, will be staged at 7.30pm on January 31 (Saturday). The troupe will perform "At the Main Hall" from "The Story of the West Chamber", "Sweeping Pine" from "The Story of the Lute", "Ximen Qing's Infatuation and Seducing Pan Jinlian on the Pretext of Making Clothes" from "The Story of Heroes" and "Feigning Jealousy" from "The Story of the Golden Bird". The star-studded cast will include Ji Zhenhua, Liu Yilong, Zhang Mingrong, Zhang Jingxian, Liang Guyin and Cai Zhengren.
These performances by the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe are part of the programmes to celebrate the opening of the Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. The lyrics and dialogue will be supplemented with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $120, $240 and $380 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 pre-performance talk (in Putonghua) will be held at 7.30pm on January 29 (Thursday) at the Function Room, 4/F, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. Speakers will include Ji Zhenhua, Liu Yilong, Zhang Mingrong, Zhang Jingxian, Yue Meiti, Liang Guyin, Cai Zhengren, Gu Haohao, Li An and Luo Chenxue. 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_662.html. Ticketing enquiries can be made on 3761 6661 and telephone credit card bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Saturday, November 22, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:00
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