33ʳᵈ Macao Arts Festival

Experimental Cantonese Opera Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation)

Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District

26, 27/5
19:45
Small Auditorium, Macao Cultural Centre


Duration: Approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, no interval
Performed in Cantonese and Mandarin, with surtitles in Chinese and English

 

Please switch off all sound-making and light-emitting devices. Unauthorised photography or recording of any kind is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your co-operation.

 

Producer: Naomi Chung*
Playwrights, Directors and Music Arrangers: Keith Lai and Janet Wong
Technical Director: Rae Wu*
Set Design: Wong Yat-kwan
Lighting Design: Leo Siu
Sound Design: Wan San-hong
Costume Design: Mandy Tam
Headgear Design: Ken Tsang
Assistant Producer and Surtitle Operator: Peter Lee*
Production Managers: Katrina Chan* and Cherry Kwan*
Stage Manager: Ng Tsz-ling
Assistant Stage Managers: Chung Ho-chuen and Chan Sze-kan
Production Electrician: Lee Tin-lap
Wardrobe: Yeung Kwan-ho and Wong Chor-cheung

Ensemble Leader: Mao Yijun
Percussion Ensemble Leader: Chan Ting-pong
Gongs: Ho Cheuk-chun
Suona and Small Gongs: Chen Yi-fan
Cymbals: Leung Shuk-in
Dizi: Lai Ka-wai
Cello: Wong Yuen-ling
Pipa: Zhong Shi-ling
Sheng: So Siu-fun
 

* Staff of West Kowloon Cultural District

 

Characters and Cast

Xiang Yu: Keith Lai
Yuji (Concubine Yu): Janet Wong
Groom/Soldier: Ng Lap-hei  

Synopsis

In the bleak cold of autumn, Xiang Yu, the self-proclaimed “Overlord of Western Chu”, realises that he faces defeat. As the moon rises, Concubine Yu bids farewell to Xiang before taking her own life with his sword. The distraught Xiang, sits by the bank of the Wu River, seems to hear Concubine Yu encouraging him to make a comeback and see the spirits of slain soldiers urging him to fight to the end.

Act I

Scene 1　　Return to the Camp
This scene is sung in the archaic singing style, Central Plains Mandarin (Zhongzhouyun or Guilin guanhua, the language of the Guilin officials). Two elements reflect the traditional features of the genre: one is the entrance of Xiang which involves a set of formulaic movements and footwork known as tiaodajia and the directional moves of zousimen (approaching the four corners of the stage), the other is the entrance of Concubine Yu which involves an aria sung in the zhongban (moderate tempo) against a rousing background of gongs and drums.

Scene 2　　The Song of Chu
This scene is sung in Cantonese and features elements of contemporary Cantonese opera. The use of banghuang (a vocal and phrasing style typically used in Cantonese opera), the xiaoqu (short tune) luohuatian (a piece of popular Cantonese music from the early 20th century) and naamyam (Cantonese narrative singing), demonstrates a range of traditional singing styles.

Scene 3　　The Black Stallion
A range of stylised gestures are used to express the agitation and demoralisation of the soldiers. The new arrangement of The Song of Gaixia and the new song sung by Concubine Yu are elaborations on traditional melodies. In addition, the bold staging of her suicide adds a new perspective on her character.

Act II　　Suicide by the Wu River

The rousing luobianhua percussion (a piece of music with gongs and drums played when a general enters) that accompanies Xiang’s entrance is an unusual abstract device to highlight his urgent desire to break through the siege. New melodies are also used to reflect his psychological anguish as he is visited by the voices of the dead, as well as a unique acting style that foreshadows his ultimate choice.

Programme

Blending traditional Cantonese opera techniques with contemporary stage and lighting design, this ground-breaking adaptation reimagines the last moments of a hero caught between reality and illusion.

The first commissioned work of the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District, Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation), has received rave reviews for performances in various cities in Asia. The production was rewarded “The 40 Most Influential Experimental Theatre in Contemporary China” by the 40th Anniversary of Experimental Theatre in China; recognised with a 2017 Best Experimental Xiqu award at the China (Beijing) Performing Arts Expo 2018, and an Honorary Credential award at the 2018 and 2019 Xiqu Opera Black Box Festival (Beijing).

Concept

This work blends Cantonese opera traditions and bold innovations, blazing a new trial for a centuries-old art form to transcend traditional frameworks, explore new and original works, and forge a new direction for Cantonese opera.

This reimagining of the historic tragedy, told from the perspective of Xiang Yu, follows the hero’s downfall, from the siege and defeat of his troops, to his final farewell with his lover and subsequent suicide. Each scene plunges him deeper into despair.

The opening scene, with the entrance of Xiang and a prelude, demonstrates the performance skills of traditional Cantonese opera. The minimalist set, a contemporary take on the traditional “one table, two chairs” stage setup, is complemented by modern lighting design, with spotlights to accentuate Xiang’s isolation. Throughout the production, songs are sung in a combination of Central Plains Mandarin and contemporary Cantonese, with tunes played by a traditional Cantonese opera gongs and drums ensemble. When Xiang bids farewell to his concubine, the actors adopt contemporary bangzi and erhuang singing styles while performing xiaoqu (short tunes) in Cantonese. In the final parts, the contemporary melodies accentuate Xiang’s psychological turmoil.

Biographical Notes

Naomi Chung, Producer

Chung is a member of the China Theatre Association. She graduated from California Institute of the Arts with a MFA in Lighting Design. Since joining the West Kowloon Cultural District in 2011, she has produced a number of events, including the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre (2012, 2013, 2014), Freespace Fest (2012), the Xiqu Centre Seminar Series, Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera, The Ghost Seller, Experimental Cantonese Opera Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation) and organised cultural exchange programmes in Mainland China. In 2019, she produced The Reincarnation of Red Plum for the grand opening of the Xiqu Centre. Before joining the West Kowloon Cultural District, Chung was Technical Director of Hong Kong productions at the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, and Head of Programmes & Education with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (2001-2009).

Keith Lai, Playwright, Director, Music Arranger and Actor (as Xiang Yu)

Lai graduated from The City University of Hong Kong with a BA in Chinese and is currently a committee member of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong. A protégé of Cantonese opera masters Man Chin-sui and Poon Sai-lun, Lai also studied under Man Lai-fung and Hon Yan-ming. In 2010, he was recognised with the Most Promising Actor Award (Young Male Opera Role) by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong and RTHK Radio 5. In 2011, he was presented with the Award for Young Artist (Xiqu) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and subsequently formed his own troupe to promote a new style of Cantonese opera. As a librettist, he wrote Son of Heaven, Breezy Pavilion and Battle of the Throne. He also adapted two Shakespeare classics, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet, into Cantonese operas A Dream in Fantasia and The Arrant Revenge.

Janet Wong, Playwright, Director, Music Arranger and Actor (as Yuji)

Wong graduated in 2005 from the Advanced Certificate Programme (Cantonese Opera) of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where she specialised in dan (female) roles and studied under musician Ng Lut-kwong. Since then she has performed with various Cantonese opera troupes, and formed her own troupe, the Cantonese Opera Theatre. In 2011, Wong became a resident actor of the Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe. She won the Outstanding Performance Award at the Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera organised by the West Kowloon Cultural District in 2014, the Award for Young Artist (Xiqu) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2015, and the Outstanding Young Performer at the 2nd Cantonese Opera Golden Bauhinia Awards in 2021.

Ng Lap-hei, Actor (as Groom/Soldier)

A graduate of The Cantonese Opera Academy of Hong Kong, Ng is currently an actor in the Cantonese Opera Young Talent Showcase at the Yau Ma Tei Theatre. He studied under Wong Yee-man, Yeung Ming, Zhou Zhenbang, He Jiayao, Tsai Win-wei and Guan Shizhen, and was recognised as the winner of the Cantonese Opera Excerpt Category in the Lim Por Yen Cup Cantonese Opera Competition and the Youth Category in the Hong Kong Youth Cultural and Arts Competition (Cantonese Opera) in 2011. In 2020, he won the Award for Young Artist (Xiqu) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. His recent performances include Trapped in Calabash Valley, Insulting Zhou Yu Thrice and Chasing after Han Xin.

Rae Wu, Technical Director

Wu joined the West Kowloon Cultural District in 2013 as Senior Manager of Technical and Productions, Performing Arts and participated in the design of the Xiqu Centre, Art Park and Freespace. Graduated in Theatre Sound Design and Music Recording from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wu worked variously as Senior Production Officer (Audio) for the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Technical Manager for Ocean Park Hong Kong, and Production Manager for Hong Kong Disneyland. He has also worked as technology designer, technical coordinator, and technical director for various stage productions and concerts.

Wong Yat-kwan, Set Design

Wong graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. For the past decade, he has been working as a freelance theatre designer for Edward Lam Dance Theatre, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and Hong Kong Arts Festival. In 2009, Wong worked as the chief designer of the boutique hotel design project, 1881 Hullet House. In 2011-2012, he taught at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. He was an Artist-in-Residence at HKAPA in 2014, and is currently the lecturer of Theatre Design of its School of Theatre and Entertainment Arts. His recent productions include Why We Chat by Edward Lam Dance Theatre, Dust and Dawn by HKAPA, The Impossible Trial – a musical co-presented by the West Kowloon Cultural District and Hong Kong Repertory Theatre.

Leo Siu, Lighting Design

Siu graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) with a Bachelor’s degree in Stage Lighting Design. As a student, he participated in academic exchange programmes in China (Beijing and Shanghai) and the UK. He is currently a freelance lighting designer, and has worked on a diverse range of productions including Experimental Cantonese Opera The Imperial Decree (Preview) and Wenguang Explores the Valley by the Xiqu Centre of West Kowloon Cultural District, La Cage aux Folles by the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Offline Dreamer by iStage, Danz Up 2.0 by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Pippin by HKAPA, Tuesdays with Morrie by Chung Ying Theatre Company, and The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? by We Draman Group.

Wan San-hong, Sound Design

Wan, co-founder of Freelancer Production Company, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), majoring in Theatre Sound Design and Music Recording. For The Ravages of Time 1: Heroes, Wan was awarded Best Sound Design at the 28th Hong Kong Drama Awards. He is currently a freelance theatre practitioner and participates in the productions of Radix Troupe, Cinematic Theatre, Chung Ying Theatre Company, Hong Kong Dance Company, West Kowloon Cultural District, Beamates, Actors’ Square, among others.

Mao Yijun, Ensemble Leader

Mao began learning gaohu as a child, and entered the Guangdong Cantonese Opera School at the age of 12, studying under Chen Zhiyi. In 2021, he graduated from the School of Chinese Opera at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, where he studied gaohu and instrumental accompaniment under Ng Lut-kwong, Luo Qinger and Lei Yeying, and gaohu techniques and Cantonese music performance under Yu Qiwei. During his studies, he was awarded several grants, including a Fredric Mao Scholarship and a Lam Kar Sing Foundation Scholarship. Past performances include Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers commissioned by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Floral Princess by Utopia Cantonese Opera Workshop.

Chan Ting-pong, Percussion Ensemble Leader

Chan joined the Barwo Young Cantonese Opera Troupe, Kim Sum Cantonese Opera and Kam Yuk Tong Cantonese Opera Troupe to learn stylised movement and posture. He further studied the vocal style with Tong Kin-woon, and percussion with Kong Sing at The Cantonese Opera Academy of Hong Kong. Chan then worked as a percussion ensemble leader for Cantonese opera performances, including the Experimental Cantonese Opera Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation) and Wenguang Explores the Valley, to critical acclaim. He has won awards in Cantonese opera competitions, and recently he has been adapting different plays to Cantonese operas. In 2021, he won the Award for Young Artist (Xiqu) presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

West Kowloon Cultural District

The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District produces and hosts world-class exhibitions, performances and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.

Xiqu Centre 

The Xiqu Centre is located on the eastern edge of the West Kowloon Cultural District. Its mission is to preserve, promote and develop the art of Chinese traditional theatre, to nurture the local form of Cantonese opera and to promote other forms of xiqu. To advance the legacies and traditions of Chinese traditional theatre, the Xiqu Centre supports artists to create new works and helps nurture a new generation of local artists. Through performances, creation, education, research and exchange, it aims to expand the audience base and create a new platform for the contemporary development of the art form.

 

 

 

Disclaimer
The Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government provides liaison and technical support to the project only. Any views/opinions expressed by the project team are those of the project only and do not reflect the views of the Cultural Affairs Bureau.