London is set to welcome the internationally renowned China National Peking Opera Company (CNPOC) for its highly anticipated appearance at Sadler’s Wells, presenting UK audiences with the astonishing opportunity to experience the quintessence of Chinese culture.
China National Peking Opera Company bring two of the world’s finest exponents of the art form, the legendary stars Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu as part of a troupe of 65 performers who are set to fill the stage at Sadler’s Wells with two spectacular shows.
The Emperor and the Concubine is the beautiful love story championed by Peking Opera Master Mei Lanfang. This is one of the very few works from the master Mei Lanfang’s that has been handed down since the 1920s. It showcases perfectly the masterful art of Peking Opera with its elegant and enchanting dance, song, music and drama and represents the outstanding features of Mei School.
The romantic story is based on an historic event in Tang Dynasty when the Emperor Tang Ming Huang who was mourning the death of his adored concubine, the beautiful YANG Yuhuan, a Taoist Nun. They greatly entranced each other, and such was the strength of his passion that the Emperor began to neglect the affairs of state. Consequently the An Lushan rebels saw the opportunity and rose up to conquer the land. A necessary fate follows with a heart-breaking twist.
This production combines the greatest elements of the Peking Opera art form and it is presented at the highest artistic standing of the Mei School by the China National Peking Opera Company.
On Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm the CNPOC showcase the spectacular mime, acrobatic and comedy skills of Peking Opera in a double bill of short mime and martial arts plays The Crossroads Inn & The Monkey King and The Leopard.
The Crossroad Inn, a short martial arts play, is famous for its humour and elaborate ‘fight in the dark’ scene. The expert mime and martial art skills will amaze and delight the audience as two amusing characters attempt to find and fight each other in the dark on a stage bathed in light.
The second half of this double bill features the mythical folklore story of the legendary Monkey King and his buddies who seek justice for the villagers who are being bullied by the Evil Leopard Spirit. The story, underpinned by the traditional Chinese value of ‘Praising the Virtue and Punishing the Vice’, highlights the stunning acrobatic skills as the Monkey King and his friends battle the wicked Leopard Spirit.
Achieving the high levels of performance skills required in the art of Peking Opera requires a lifelong dedication. Most of the artists train from a very young age at opera school before becoming an apprentice and learning from the masters of this incredible art form. It takes a very special dedication and passion to endure the intensive training to become a profession artist and not everyone is guaranteed success. Despite the spectacular costumes, face painting make-up and stunning stage craft, Peking Opera represents the essence of traditional Chinese values – whatever you would like to achieve, you must work hard through sweat and tears and resist material temptation.
