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[ THE WEEKENDER ] Operatic tour de force

By Ian Bartholomew
STAFF REPORTER
Monday, May 11, 2009, Page 13

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The second program of the 2009 Taiwan Kun Opera Theatre All Stars (蘭谷名華2009崑劇名家匯演), performed on Friday, was a heartening example of the solidly professional productions of kun opera, or kunqu (崑曲), that are now available in Taipei. Comprising famous scenes from various operas, the show was designed to parade the talents of three performers from the Shanghai Kun Opera Troupe (上海崑劇團) who have become regular visitors to the capital, as well as members of a supporting cast drawn from the Taiwan Kunqu Opera Theatre (台灣崑劇團).

There were no bells and whistles, but the recital compared well with the higher profile Beijing opera program Ghostly Stunts (鬼•瘋) performed at the beginning of the month, which was also designed specifically to showcase the skills of both visiting and local performers. A stripped down stage and the conventional “table and two chairs” setting was a sparse affair that focused attention on the artists.

The show opened with Taiwan’s Liu Hsi-rung (劉稀榮) displaying his talents, which were more than proficient, as a drunken servant in a scene from The Red Pear (紅梨記). This was followed by guest star Liang Guying (梁谷音), who earned massive applause for her performance of the character Yin Guiying (殷桂英) bidding farewell to the sun before committing suicide after being jilted by her lover. The scene from The Story of Burning Incense (焚香記) is a set piece famously used to show off an actress’ command of personifying despair. Liang proved she is very much at the height of her power as a performer. The two other guest stars also showed their worth, with Ji Zhenhua (計鎮華) putting on a magnificent show in the lao sheng (老生) role in the “beating scene” (打子) from The Embroidered Jacket (繡襦記), and Zhang Mingrong (張銘榮) in a comic sequence from Pavilion of the Colored Clouds (艷雲亭), was effortlessly proficient in this somewhat laborious finale to the program.

2009 Taiwan Kun Opera Theatre All Stars and Ghostly Stunts combined to create a tour de force in the presentation of fundamental physical and vocal skills for Beijing and kun opera. This is being followed up later this week with the NCCU 9th On-Site Artist Event (國立政治大學第九屆駐校藝術家), organized by the National Cheng Chi University (國立政治大學), which opens on Thursday with a panel discussion featuring Kenneth Pai (白先勇), novelist and producer of a young person’s version of the The Jade Hairpin (玉簪記, opens in Taipei on May 21) that has already been met with huge success touring in China, and gezai opera (歌仔戲) legend Liao Chiung-chih (廖瓊枝). Liang Guying (梁谷音) will also be participating by giving a talk on the aesthetics of kun opera in relation to The Western Chamber (西廂記) on Saturday.

The On-Site Artist event aims to juxtapose kun opera with Taiwan’s own gezai opera tradition, and will feature productions by the Suzhou Kun Opera Company (蘇州崑劇院) from China and a number of well-known local gezai opera troupes. Detailed information about the event can be found at the university’s Web site at artist.nccu.edu.tw/98OSAE.htm.

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