New Cantonese Opera “Under the Pagoda Tree”

Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association

11/5 │ Saturday │ 19:30
12/5 │ Sunday │ 14:30
The Parisian Theatre

Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one interval
Performed in Cantonese, with surtitles in Chinese and English

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

Artistic Team

Executive Producer, Director and Script Supervisor: Chu Chan Wa
Playwright, Sound Design and Percussion Leader: Tang Chi Kin
Coordinator: Wong Choi Keng
Producer: Ho Kei Hong
Sound Design and Ensemble Leader: Chu Yi Tong
Lighting Design: Lei Pui Mio
Stage Design, Visual Effects, Audio Production and Costume: Guangzhou Red Bean Cantonese Opera
Costume Design: Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association
Stage Manager: U Chi Kit
Assistant Producer: Mok Weng Lam
Backstage Manager: Fong Soi Heong
Props: Liu Jiong Tang
Photography: Foto Imagine
Videography: DV Chio Production

Characters and Cast

Dong Yong: Chu Chan Wa
The Seventh Fairy: Mok Weng Lam
Fu Shi: Tang Va Chio
Fu Liu: Loc Vai Kiong
Queen of Heaven: Iek Lai Kun
God of Earth: Chan Im Kuong
The Eldest Fairy: Chu Pek Hong
The Second Fairy: Ho Son I
The Third Fairy: Lok Yin Wah
The Fourth Fairy: Fong Pou Ngan
The Fifth Fairy: Ho Lai Keng
The Sixth Fairy: Ma Sio Mei
General of Heaven: Lou Kuok Meng
Zhang Fu: Chio Lok Lai
Little Fairies: Liu I Hei and Lo In Iao
Extras: Lo Chi I, Choi Linda, Choi Iok Ha, Leong Chon Lan, Chan Cheok Pan, Vong Chi Sang, Lao Kuai Sim and Wong Sio Pan
Musicians: Gao Yong Jian, Zhao Jian Hao, Zou Hai Yan, Song Wen Wen, Chen Ming, Chen Guan Ce, Wu Zi Yao, Lai Xue Qin, Ho Kan Fat and Wong Kuan Lao

Synopsis

While gazing at the mortal world from the heavens, the Seventh Fairy, daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, fortuitously sees Dong Yong, an impoverished dutiful son who sold himself to the Fu Mansion, undertaking three years of hard work to settle the debts he incurred from burying his father. Tired of the desolate life in the palace and feeling compassion for good-natured Dong Yong, the Seventh Fairy disregards heavenly rules and descends to the mortal world without permission, and marries Dong Yong under a pagoda tree.

Dong Yong heads for the Fu Mansion together with the Seventh Fairy, but Landlord Fu is mean and not willing to take in the fairy. He also asks her to weave 10 long rolls of brocade within one night, only then can Dong Yong’s servitude be shortened from three years to 100 days. Therefore, the Seventh Fairy asks her elder sisters to come to the mortal world to help. Together, they work to finish weaving all the brocade within one night, and after the 100-day period of servitude, the two lovers may return home.

However, the Emperor of Heaven bursts into anger after learning of the story and orders deities to notify the Seventh Fairy to return to heaven immediately, otherwise Dong Yong will suffer. Despite being pregnant she tearfully follows the order. The following year, Dong Yong comes first place in the highest imperial examination returning to his hometown in glory shortly after the Fairy delivers their child. The Emperor of Heaven gives the Fairy special permission to send her child to the mortal world, where the couple have the opportunity to meet, one last time.

Scene I　　Bridge of Magpies
On the Bridge of Magpies, the Seventh Fairy, daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, develops compassion for Dong Yong after seeing his suffering, and decides to descend to the mortal world.

Scene II　　Encounter
In the mortal world, Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy meet under a pagoda tree and develop an affection for each other.

Scene III　　Going for work
Dong Yong brings along the Fairy to go to work at the Fu Mansion, but she is refused entry with the excuse that only Dong Yong has been hired.

Interval

Scene IV　　Brocade weaving
Dong Yong and the Fairy get picked on and are required to weave 10 long rolls of brocade within one night so he will have the three years of servitude sentence shortened to 100 days. Therefore, the fairy’s elder sisters help them to weave the brocade.

Scene V　　Departure
After learning that the Seventh Fairy had descended to the mortal world without permission, the Emperor of Heaven orders her to return to the palace.

Scene VI　　Sending back the son
Dong revisits the pagoda tree after his success in the imperial examination, and meets The Seventh Fairy who is sending their son to the mortal world. The legendary love under the pagoda tree is celebrated through eternity.

Programme Notes

The new Cantonese opera Under the Pagoda Tree offers the audience a refreshing experience in an adaptation based on Huangmei opera and the Cantonese opera A Goddess Marriage. With a focus on the characters, this production highlights Dong Yong’s uprightness, kindness, and filial loyalty, as well as the Seventh Fairy’s cleverness, single-mindedness, and clear demarcation between love and hatred. Significant modifications are made to the vocal design and actor movements to make the lines and singing more touching and infectious. New elements are also integrated into actor movements and dancing to highlight the theatrical features while also realising the transition and evolution of traditional performances. To attract young audiences and adapt to the pace of modern life, the story’s rhythms are obviously accelerated, and modern technology and multimedia elements are added to the lighting and stage design enhancing the audience’s audio-visual experience and the piece’s theatrical effects.

Biographical Notes

Chu Chan Wa, Executive Producer, Director, Script Supervisor and Actor (as Dong Yong)

Chu is a renowned local Cantonese opera artist, vice-president of the Guangdong Provincial Musician’s Association, and president of Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association. He has participated in the Macao Arts Festival and the Cantonese Opera Day for many years, and has directed and starred in numerous operatic works including Striving through the Storm, The Soul of Macao, A Chinese Ghost Story, The Phantom of Liaozhai, Bonds of Hato, and Exploit in Silent. He has helped to foster numerous outstanding young talents for Cantonese opera in Macao.

Tang Chi Kin, Playwright, Sound Design and Percussion Leader

Tang has studied Cantonese opera percussion under the renowned percussionist Lei Ka Weng and was admitted to the Guangdong Cantonese Opera School. He was admitted to The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2018 for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) Degree in Chinese Opera on a full scholarship, where he majored in Cantonese Opera Music. He worked as a percussion and music designer for Bonds of Hato and a number of Cantonese operas, and has adapted The Random Harvest.

Wong Choi Keng, Coordinator

Wong joined the Foshan Youth Cantonese Opera Troupe at the age of 14 and has accumulated rich stage experience from playing the supporting female roles and female warrior roles. She has coordinated a number of large-scale Cantonese opera programmes at the Macao Arts Festival, including Dream of the Red Chamber, The Phantom of Liaozhai, and Bonds of Hato.

Lei Pui Mio, Lighting Design

Lei is a freelance lighting designer and mainly responsible for stage lighting design, installation, and operations, as well as the painting and coordination of 2D/3D elements. She has worked as a gaffer for the TDM Best of the Pop Music Awards, The Voice of Macau, WMW XMAS Music Festival, Night of Portuguese Rhythm at Zhuhai Arts Festival, and Cantonese opera programmes at the Macao Arts Festival including The Phantom of Liaozhai and Bonds of Hato.

Mok Weng Lam, Assistant Producer and Actress (as The Seventh Fairy)

Mok is a well-known young Cantonese opera actress in Macao mentored by Chu Chan Wa and the head of the Macau Greenery Chinese Opera Association. She studied Cantonese opera since 2003 and has starred in many different works over the past two decades. Among her opera programmes in the Macao Arts Festival are The Legend of the White Snake, Mu Guiying Battling in Hongzhou, The Phantom of Liaozhai, and Bonds of Hato.

Liu Jiong Tang, Props

Liu joined the Foshan Youth Cantonese Opera Troupe in 1978 and officially started working as a prop maker in 1980. He has engaged in the making of props and stage installations for Lingbo Fairy and Bao Gong and His Dream of Butterflies, and served as a prop maker in several Macao Arts Festival programmes including The Phantom of Liaozhai and Bonds of Hato.

Tang Va Chio, Actor (as Fu Shi)

Tang studied under Ieong Hoi Seng at the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera in 1988. Over the years, he has played more than 100 roles and participated in over 200 performances, including the Macao Arts Festival programmes The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, Dream of the Red Chamber, The Soul of Macao, The Phantom of Liaozhai and Bonds of Hato. He has been invited to perform in Singapore and Canada, and became a Cultural Ambassador for Macao in 2020.

Loc Vai Kiong, Actor (as Fu Liu)

Loc founded the Lai Chon Chinese Opera Association of Macao after studying Cantonese opera at the Liu Liu Chinese Opera Association of Macao and the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera. He has performed in Lisbon, Portugal and the International Cantonese Opera Festival in Guangzhou, and his performances over the years include Princess Cheung Ping, The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, and Romance of the Red Pear Flower.

Iek Lai Kun, Actress (as Queen of Heaven)

Iek has been fond of Cantonese opera since childhood and studied essential operatic skills under Chang Iok Kei. She has performed in Cantonese opera programmes of the Macao Arts Festival for years, and among her performances are The Goddess of the Sea, The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, The Butterfly Lovers, and Dream of the Red Chamber.

Chan Im Kuong, Actor (as God of Earth)

Chan was admitted to the Xinhui Cantonese Opera Troupe at the age of 16, where he frequently performed solo during intermissions. After moving to Macao in 1997, he has often participated in performances and engaged in teaching. Among his performances are Shajiabang, Liu Sanjie, Searching the Academy, Reunion on Broken Bridge, and the Macao Arts Festival programme Bonds of Hato.

Chu Pek Hong, Actress (as The Eldest Fairy)

Having studied Cantonese opera since 2008, Chu played the female lead role Huo Xiaoyu in The Legend of the Purple Hairpin in 2017 and has performed in a number of Cantonese opera programmes at the Macao Arts Festival. She has joined the continuing training programme of the Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association and joined the Cantonese opera training courses run by Chu Chan Wa, Deng Zhiming and Chen Riyun.

Ho Son I, Actress (as The Second Fairy)

Ho has studied essential operatic skills, movements and singing at the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera since 1987, where she performed several opera excerpts with Chio Heng Wa and Ieong Hoi Seng. She joined the Chinese Opera Performance Association of Macao in the 1990s and performed a number of full-length operas and opera excerpts. She has further studied movement under Chu Chan Wa and participated in large-scale performances since 2017.

Lok Yin Wah, Actress (as The Third Fairy)

Lok received training from Ieong Hoi Seng at the Macao Cantonese Opera Troupe in 1995 and later studied Cantonese operatic singing at the Macao General Association of Cantonese Opera and Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association. Specialising in female lead roles with years of stage experience, she is known for playing such roles vividly and has performed in a number of full-length operas and opera excerpts.

Fong Pou Ngan, Actress (as The Fourth Fairy)

Fong has been fond of Cantonese opera since childhood. She has studied Cantonese opera at the Liu Liu Chinese Opera Association of Macao and the Kin Va Sports and Recreation Association and is part of one of the first batches of students of the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera and a founding member of Lai Chon Chinese Opera Association of Macao. She has performed in a number of opera excerpts and full-length operas and participated in the Macao Arts Festival, both on and behind the stage.

Ho Lai Keng, Actress (as The Fifth Fairy)

Ho learnt Cantonese opera under her father’s influence and studied Cantonese opera movements and weapon combat under several instructors. She has performed in both full-length operas and opera excerpts and collaborated with renowned Cantonese opera actors every year. She has further studied movements under Chu Chan Wa and has participated in large-scale performances since 2017.

Ma Sio Mei, Actress (as The Sixth Fairy)

Ma has performed in the Macao Arts Festival for years. In 2014 she participated in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Cantonese Opera Excerpts and Singing Contest organised by the Hong Kong International Exchange of Artist & Culture Association and won the Gold Award in the open category with the excerpt Burying Fallen Flowers. In 2019 she performed at the Variety Show in Celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of Macao’s Return to the Motherland.

Lou Kuok Meng, Actor (as General of Heaven)

Lou began learning Cantonese opera in 2012 and continued his studies at the Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association. He has performed in operatic works such as Princess Cheung Ping, The Imperial Scholar and the Beggar, and The Return of Lady Wenji, and joined the Cantonese opera training courses run by Chu Chan Wa, Deng Zhiming and Chen Riyun.

Chio Lok Lai, Actor (as Zhang Fu)

Chio is a young local Cantonese opera actor. He has made appearances in the Macao Arts Festival programmes The Phantom of Liaozhai and Bonds of Hato and performed in Mainland China.

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.