Showcasing the many colorful guises of an operatic master

Leading figures in the local world of Beijing opera will be teaming up this weekend at Taipei's Novel Hall (新舞臺) for a series of special performances that have been collectively entitled Li Bao-chun at His Best (壓箱寶春戲).

The series of shows, which are all adaptations of classical Beijing opera, will showcase and celebrate the operatic prowess of renowned martial arts opera (武戲) star, Li Bao-chun (李寶春).

Born in Hebei Province in 1950 into a celebrated theatrical family, Li was the first son of the legendary Beijing opera star, Li Shao-chun (李少春). At 10 he was admitted to the Beijing opera school where he studied for eight years. On graduation he was assigned to the Chinese National Opera Troupe -- the only officially sanctioned group allowed to perform Beijing opera in China at that time.

After representing China at the Cologne Arts Festival in 1983, Li was given an honorary doctorate in Chinese Drama and Arts by the Northern Pontifical Academy in Nantes, France. Relocating to the US in the mid-1980s, he was awarded the outstanding Asian artist award by the Chinese American Arts Council in 1987. Li moved to Taiwan in 1989, and has since become one of the nation's most revered performers of traditional Beijing opera.

Although specializing in his formative years in China in the roles of the bearded old man (Laosheng, 老生) and the combat hero (Wusheng, 武生) -- two of Beijing opera's most demanding and physical roles -- it is has been his high-flying martial art-laden portrayals of the Monkey King that have won him so many fans in his adopted home of Taiwan.

Organized by the Koo Foundation (辜公亮文教基金會) and featuring a host of well-known opera stars from Taiwan, the series sees the performers bringing colorful new adaptations of five classical Beijing operas to the stage of the popular Taipei venue.

This weekend's productions see Li taking on martial arts and less highflying operatic roles in reworked versions of the Tang and Song dynasty operas Lu Wen-Lung, the Deceived Hero (八大錘), Mi Heng at the Drum (陰陽擊鼓罵曹), A Daughter's Petition (販馬記), Capturing Kao Deng (拿高登) and Sung Chiang and Yen Hsi-Chiao (烏龍院).

Li Bao-chun at His Best (壓箱寶春戲) runs until this coming Sunday at Taipei's Novel Hall (新舞臺), which is located at 3, Songshou Rd., Taipei (台北市松壽路3號). Tonight and tomorrow performances begin at 7:30pm while on Sunday the matinee show begins at 2:30pm. Tickets for performances cost between NT$500 and NT$1,200 and are available through ERA Ticketing nationwide or direct from the venue.