The Drunken Poet LI Bai

The Drunken Poet LI Bai

2017-02-20

Huangmei Opera The Drunken Poet LI Bai

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Theatre

Dates: February 28-March 01, 2017

AboutThe newly adapted Huangmei Opera The Drunken Poet LI Bai interweaves the three main threads of LI Bai's life experiences, emotional experience and close relationship with people, gives a brief account of his eventful and legendary life through several concentrated time points and stories, and shows the unique charm of traditional Chinese poetry.

The young poet LI Bai went to Dangtu in Anhui province to hold a memorial ceremony for the poet XIE Tiao. He made the acquaintance with local restaurant owner Mr. JI and the reclusive Princess Yuzhen, and forged a deep friendship with them. To realize the ideal of serving his country, LI Bai resolutely headed for Chang'an. Years later, he felt frustrated and came back to Dangtu,but he was shocked by the people's suffering from the war. Ignoring Princess Yuzhen's detainment, he left again, went to the front to fight against the enemy and served under the prince LI Lin. After the rebellion of LI Lin, Li Bai was implicated, incriminated and in extreme danger. With the sacrifice of Princess Yuzhen, he was absolved. At his old age, LI Bai once again returned to Dangtu and intended to drink and recite poems with friends for the rest of his life. However, out of the blue, both Princess Yuzhen and Mr. JI died. LI Bai cried to the moon along the Caishiji, mourned his friends, demanded answers from the gods, reflected on his whole life and finally drowned himself in the river.

This opera presents the flourishing Tang Dynasty, allowing modern people to enjoy the charm of traditional Chinese culture. From LI Bai's arrival in Dangtu through the three different ages of youth, middle age and old age, a unique Huangmei opera has been created, outlining the poet's legendary experiences and shaping the image of a patriotic poet with a literary talent.

LI Bai is one of the most glorious figures in Chinese history. His poems are classics with a long history and wide popularity among the people to this day. This opera eulogizes the poet's patriotism, affirms people's passion and pursuit of love, kindness and beauty, and reflects accurate historical value accompanied by grand themes and ideas.

Mingling drama with poetry, The Drunken Poet LI Bai is filled with poetic skill and LI Bai's representative poetic works. It is devoted to creating a heart-warming and energizing stage work which arouses the goodness of human nature and presents strong cultural content, making it a must-see production.

Lead Actress: WU Qiong

Credits

Executive Presenter, Actor: JIANG Qing

Playwright: LIU Jinni

Stage Director: YANG Kang

Composer: XU Zhiyuan

Set Designer: QIN Wenbao

Artistic Director: HUANG Xinde

CastLI Bai: WU Qiong, XU Haiyan

Princess Yuzhen: SUN Xuelian

Mr. JI: SU Nan

ZHANG An: LI Qun

Wenyue: SUN Qing

Ferryman: JIANG Qing, ZHU Zhongye

Mrs. JI: WANG Yan

Bride's Attendants: XU Haiyan, LIU Yeyong

Father of one's daughter-in-law or son-in-law: YU Linhai

Four Buddies: LI Yu, HUANG Xiaoling, JIANG Hong, ZHOU Jie

ArtistWU Qiong Lead Actress

A Chinese opera master and celebrated actor constantly making achievements on the Chinese opera stage, WU Qiong is widely known as an inheritor with deep attainments following Huangmei opera artist YAN Fengying, and also the first artist to hold a solo concert in the history of Huangmei opera.

WU Qiong is the pioneer of the combination of Huangmei opera and modern music. By virtue of her musical talent and artistic practices, she not only expands the range of Huangmei opera but also develops the art of its operatic melodies, absorbing the essence of traditional art and new elements of modern art to form her own unique style. Her works have earned wide attention and popularity, capturing the vitality of the times.

Her representative stage plays include Red Handkerchief, Jiang's Eldest Girl, Much Ado About Nothing, Sister JIANG and YAN Fengying.

Her theatrical art films include The Female Consort Princess, Angle Matches, Snow in Midsummer, The Flower Girl and Strange Case in Tongcheng.

Her representative songs include Moist Heart, My Heart Holds Your Hand, I Am Satisfied, Flower and Win First Place.

She has also published more than 50 albums including Huangmei Opera Hit Songs, My Heart Holds Your Hand, Fairy, Go Home, A Crescent Moon, Pillow Talk, The Farewell Store, Jin Yunu, The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, and The Kingdom and The Beauty. What's more, she has also published a book titled I Write My Heart.

Presenter

Four Seasons Opera Theatre

Founded in 2010, the Four Seasons Opera Theatre has been named among the Anhui Cultural Agency's 'Top Hundred Excellent Theatres' and 'Top Ten Famous Theatres'. Since its foundation more than five years ago, the Theatre has staged 15 Huangmei operas and produced two plays.

In 2013, the Four Seasons Opera Theatre's original Huangmei opera The Thousand-Character Classic won Best Play in the Anhui 10th Art Festival's new play performance category. In 2014, The Thousand-Character Classic was awarded Best Work in the Anhui Spiritual Civilization Construction 'Five One Projects'(the Best Works Award). In 2015, Director JIANG Qing was honored among Anhui Private Art's 'Top Ten Famous Figures'. In September 2015, the Theatre's original child play The Anti-Japanese Hero Wang Erxiao was awarded third place in Anhui's 2014 'Our Land Our Dream' literature ceremony. In 2015, the Theatre's 'Four Seasons Gratitude Visits - Elders Watch Operas Every Week' project was evaluated as the Best Mass Culture Counseling Project, and also honored as a National Culture Volunteer Service Demonstration Project.

In 2015, the Theatre successfully cooperated with the Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre on carrying out the 'Form Pairs, Cultivate Culture and Create the Chinese Dream Together' activity. The Four Seasons Opera Theatre adheres to the art business mode of ‘On the basis of professional creation, under the condition of art quality, and at the core of local services'.[source:National Centre for the Performing Arts]

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