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11
Thu
Feb
2022
19:30
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13
Sun
Feb
2022
19:30 |
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$380,$300,$220,$140 |
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Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall |
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Chinese Opera
Programme commenmorating for the 60th Anniversary of Hong Kong City Hall: Cantonese Opera "Romance of the Phoenix Tower" & "The Villain, the General and the Heroic Beauty" 【Programme Postponed】
【Programme Postponed】
In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, the performing venues under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had been temporarily closed. The performances of Programme commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Hong Kong City Hall: Cantonese Opera Romance of the Phoenix Tower & The Villain, the General and the Heroic Beauty which originally scheduled on 11-13 February 2022 at Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall have been postponed until further notice.
The Cantonese Opera Romance of the Phoenix Tower was a highlight feature in the opening programme of the Hong Kong City Hall in 1962. After six decades, it is of special significance that it is staged again in the same venue. Written by Tsui Tsz-long, it contains a storyline with twists and turns rather common in Chinese opera, like cross-dressing, mistaken identities, giving birth on wedding night etc., as well as melodies borrowed from the Mandarin songs popular at the time, reflecting the eclectic aspect of Cantonese Opera. A smattering of English is also mixed in the dialogues, highlighting the burlesque possibilities of Cantonese Opera. Its theme song, Song of a Barbaric Land has become not only a household tune, but also part of the collective memory of generations of people in Hong Kong.
Sixty years ago, the play was staged by Tai Lung Fung Cantonese Opera Troupe featuring renowned artists Mak Bing-wing, Fung Wong Nui and Tam Lan-hing. In this revival performance, there will be two shows, one featuring veteran artists Yuen Siu-fai and Wan Fai-yin, who have been impeccable partners on stage for years; and the other, Ruan Dewen and Cheng Wing-mui. Yuen is not only performing this signature play of his mentor Mak Bing-wing, he is also taking up the roles of director and rehearsal master. As for Ruan and Cheng who star in the second show, they represent a new generation of artists who are torchbearers of the art of Cantonese Opera. The play also has two comic roles, a feature not very common in Cantonese Opera. Played by veteran comic role actor Liu Kwok-sum and young artist Yuen Tak-cheong, these two comic roles will bring hilarious elements to this love story. The cast includes veteran supporting actress Ko Lai and young actors Fu Shuwang and Ng Lap-hei, making this Cantonese Opera classic a show worth looking forward to!
In The Villain, the General and the Heroic Beauty, a military play rare to find in the Cantonese Opera repertory, with an equally rare casting of two pairs of major male and female roles. Full of dazzling fighting scenes, Yuen Siu-fai, Wan Fai-yin, Ruan Dewen and Cheng Wing-mui demonstrate their consummate martial art as well as acting skills on stage. These two Cantonese Opera gems, one civil one military, are definitely not to be missed!
11-12.2.2022
Romance of the Phoenix Tower
General Yerud Junxiong of the Jurchen Jin in northern China is under order to take his love, Princess Hongluan of the Song, to return to her homeland in the south. As they bid each other a sad farewell, they save a common girl, Ni Xiutian, who has thrown herself into the river in defiance of her father’s arranged marriage for her. That evening, the envoy boat is attacked by pirates. In the chaos, the identities of the two girls are mixed up. The men led by Prince Di of Song, the elder brother of Hongluan, find Xiutian and mistake her for the Princess, and take her back to the palace. On the other hand, Hongluan has fallen into the river during the melee and lost her memory. She is found by Xiutian’s father, Ni Si’an, who has been tracking his daughter’s whereabouts to the banks of the river. General Junxiong takes a new name and goes to the Central Plains to look for Hongluan.
Finding himself in dire straits, Ni Si’an takes Hongluan in as his daughter and goes with her to the Shang Residence. The Ni’s and the Shang’s had made a matrimonial pledge between their son and their daughter before they were born. But seeing the impoverished state Ni is in, Lady Shang wants to back out. Her son, Shang Cunxiao, returns home just in time, having come top in the civil examination. He takes pity on them and agrees to let them stay.
After some trials and tribulations, Junxiong comes first in the national martial competition. Minister Shang invites him to his residence to stay. There, Junxiong chances to meet Hongluan. But since she has no memory of knowing him, she chastises him for making passes at her. The Minister angrily expels him for misconduct. Prince Di comes to the Shang Residence at night, with a letter brought back by his ‘sister’, supposedly the Princess, which he anxiously hopes to have it translated. Cunxiao does not know the Jurchen writing, and both the mother and son turn to Ni Si’an for help. Hongluan disguises as a man and reads the letter. Prince Di is so impressed that he decides to marry his sister (who is actually Xiutian) to Hongluan.
On the wedding night, Xiutian is ecstatically happy to be reunited with her lover, Cunxiao. But soon the two girls each give birth to a baby in the nuptial chamber. At a loss for a solution, Lady Shang cannot but accept Ni Si’an’s suggestion and admits to being the mother of the newborns. Minister Shang is devastated. Under the order of Prince Di, Junxiong conducts a trial of the strange case despite the late hours. He suspects Lady Shang of having an affair with Ni Si’an. But later the girls appear to declare they are the babies’ mothers. Junxiong’s real identity is revealed, and he is facing punishment from Prince Di. In desperation, Junxiong sings Song of a Barbaric Land which revives Hongluan's memory. The lovers are finally reunited.
Cast of 11 Feb
Yuen Siu-fai as Yerud Junxiong
Wan Fai-yin as Princess Hongluan
Liu Kwok-sum as Ni Si’an
Yuen Tak-cheong as Lady Shang
Fu Shuwang as Minister Shang
Ruan Dewen as Shang Cunxiao
Cheng Wing-mui as Ni Xiutian
Ng Lap-hei as Prince Di
Cast of 12 Feb
Ruan Dewen as Yerud Junxiong
Cheng Wing-mui as Princess Hongluan
Liu Kwok-sum as Ni Si’an
Yuen Tak-cheong as Lady Shang
Fu Shuwang as Minister Shang
Yuen Siu-fai as Shang Cunxiao
Ko Lai as Ni Xiutian
Ng Lap-hei as Prince Di
13.2.2022
The Villain, the General and the Heroic Beauty
The King of Liang dies. The second prince wants to usurp the throne. So the senior courtier Zhao Jiguang takes the third prince to seek military support from Princess Yinping of Danyang to help the virtuous crown prince to become king. A general in Yinping’s army, Wei Gancheng, has long been an admirer of the Princess, but she only has her eyes on the second prince, Liang Wenyong. Wenyong pays her a visit with his mentor, Liu Luren, with the purpose of getting her military. It so happens that a palace maid of the Liang, Xie Shuang’e and her brother, Xie Xiong, have also come with the former King’s will. Wenyong forges another will to cheat the Princess into believing he is the legitimate choice. Ganchang, on the other hand, is under the Princess’s order to go on a military expedition. When Wenyong secures his position and ascends the throne, he kills meritorious courtiers who helped him, but confers on Shuang’e, now his lover, the title of Queen of the West Palace. On the excuse of Yinping carrying a sword to court, he even orders to have her executed. When Gancheng is informed of this, he goes on a rampage, gatecrashes the West Palace, remonstrates with Wenyong, and vows he would not rest until he saves the Princess.
Yuen Siu-fai as Liang Wenyong
Wan Fai-yin as Princess Yinping
Ruan Dewen as Wei Gancheng
Cheng Wing-mui as Xie Shuang’e
Liu Kwok-sum as Liu Luren
Yuen Tak-cheong as Zhao Jiguang
Ng Lap-hei as Xie Xiong
The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Information provided by the arts group
TICKETING
DATE VENUE PRICE 11.02.2022 (Fri)
19:30
19:30
12.02.2022 (Sat)
19:30
19:30
13.02.2022 (Sun)
19:30
19:30
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
$380,$300,$220,$140
DATE11.02.2022 (Fri)
19:30
19:30
12.02.2022 (Sat)
19:30
19:30
13.02.2022 (Sun)
19:30
19:30
PRICE
$380,$300,$220,$140