Traditional Chinese opera styles with a modern twist
Huaiju Opera "Kong Yiji," based on renowned author Lu Xun's novel
The 2017 Shanghai Experimental Xiqu (Traditional Opera) Festival will be held from December 10 to 23 at the Zhou Xinfang Theater Space.
Now in its third year and organized by the Shanghai Center of Chinese Operas, the festival will feature nine performances from across the country to innovate traditional theater and discover talented young performers.
This year’s offerings cover a wide range of genres including Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera, Huaiju Opera, Yueju Opera and Yuju Opera.
Shanghai Huaiju Opera Company will present “Kong Yiji,” a new production based on Lu Xun’s novel.
Playwright Guan Yancao says it is a new interpretation of the story of a destitute scholar in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), revamped to cater to the tastes of today’s audiences.
The Peking Opera performance “Weed” is an adaptation of O. Henry’s 1904 short story “The Cop and the Anthem,” about a homeless man in New York.
An experimental Kunqu Opera play “The Chair” is adapted from a famous work by French playwright Eugene Lonesco, which explores the true meaning of life, love and freedom.
Fanghua Yueju Opera Company from Fujian Province will present a romantic play adapted from the classic 1948 Chinese film “Spring In A Small Town,” set in a family compound after the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
Tickets for some of the performances have already sold out, but a series of lectures will also be held for fans during the festival.
Festival details
Date: December 10-23, 7:15pm
Tickets: 60-220 yuan
Tel: 6322-5294
Venue: Zhou Xinfang Theater Space
Address: 1198 Tianyaoqiao Rd
Kunqu Opera "The Chair"
Peking Opera performance “Weed” is an adaptation of O. Henry’s short novel “The Cop and the Anthem.”
