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13
Thu
Jul
2023
19:30
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16
Sun
Jul
2023
14:00 |
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$480,$380,$280,$180 |
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Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District |
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Chinese Opera
Chinese Opera Festival 2023: The Art of Wusheng Roles in Cantonese Opera
Most wusheng (martial male) roles in Cantonese Opera are middle-aged or old characters, distinguished by the actors wearing a long beard – xu in pinyin – hence they are also known as xusheng (bearded male). In the early days, wusheng was an important lead performer (known as ‘pillar’) of the opera troupe. Wusheng roles call for much emphasis on singing, delivery of lines, stylised movements and eye expressions, all of which require solid acting skills. For example, beard maneuvering skills (rankougong) are used in the rendering of many wusheng characters to express emotions. In the traditional ritual play Prime Minister of Six States, the ‘carriage riding skill’ of the character Gongsun Yan, is among the showstoppers of the play. Other than acting skills, wusheng roles also put much emphasis on sonorous and powerful delivery of spoken lines. As for singing, a robust vocalisation called baqiang (aka dahou) and roudaizuo is used to show the character is a man who has seen the ways of the world, thus injecting into the character a unique depth in the performance.
With renowned wusheng actor Liu Kwok-sum as Artistic Director, the showcase titled ‘The Art of Wusheng Roles in Cantonese Opera’ features a star-studded cast including Lee Lung, Wan Fai-yin, Lui Hung-kwong, Chan Ka-ming, and Yuen Siu-fai. It will be an exemplary selection from the wusheng repertoire. First there is the impressive entrance of the actor miming ‘riding a chariot’ in Prime Minister of Six States, with the stylised movements taught hands-on by the venerable Lan Chi Pak. The wusheng moves arranged by Lan Chi Pak in two scenes from Death of a Loyal Warrior – Forcing His Son to Get onto the Saddle and Killing His Own Son can be seen once again on stage. Burying the Horse from Contention for the Seal has rarely been staged over the last twenty years. In addition, Three Hand Claps to Sever Blood Ties from Wang Baochuan, The Night Trial from Judge Bao’s Night Trial of Guo Huai, Barging into the Yamen from The Impeachment of Yan Song, offer the audience an excellent opportunity to see the intricate artistry of wusheng characterisation in Cantonese Opera.
Lyrics and dialogue with Chinese and English surtitles.
Audience is strongly advised to arrive punctually. Latecommers will only be admitted at a suuitable break.
Co-presenter：
TICKETING
DATE VENUE PRICE 13.07.2023 (Thu)
19:30
19:30
14.07.2023 (Fri)
19:30
19:30
15.07.2023 (Sat)
19:30
19:30
16.07.2023 (Sun)
14:00
14:00
Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District
$480,$380,$280,$180
DATE13.07.2023 (Thu)
19:30
19:30
14.07.2023 (Fri)
19:30
19:30
15.07.2023 (Sat)
19:30
19:30
16.07.2023 (Sun)
14:00
14:00
PRICE
$480,$380,$280,$180