It is not easy for people living in the metropolis of Shanghai
to spare enough time for a drama that goes for 10 hours, but
Shanghai Kunju Opera Troupe's new production of The Palace of
Eternal Youth (Changsheng Dian) has been filling the
Lyceum Theater with enthusiastic audiences since it opened at the
Shanghai International Arts Festival on October 22.
Among them are elderly Kunqu fans, but surprisingly, there are more
young people. According to a survey by the troupe in June when the
play premiered, among the 1,608 people in the audiences who
returned their questionnaires, 66 percent ranged from 19 to 35
years old, and more than half bought set tickets. It seems that
Kunqu or Kunju, one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera, is
winning favor with generations X and Y.
Wang Yan, a 34-year-old advertising copywriter, began to listen
to Kunqu only last year. She attended the premiere of The
Palace of Eternal Youth in June, and came back for the ongoing
round of performances. "I love the lyrics and melodies of Kunqu,"
says Wang. "Every time, I am moved to tears at the scene of
'Burying the Jade' in The Palace of Eternal Youth."
The story of The Palace of Eternal Youth is set in the
Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
The Emperor Li Longji spoiled his concubine Yang Yuhuan and did
not care much about State affairs. Li's efforts to please Yang
included an order that litchis be sent immediately from South
China's Hainan Island, which angered the public.
Li appointed Yang's corrupt brother Yang Guozhong as the prime
minister, and as a result, trusted general An Lushan became a rebel
and occupied Tang's capital Chang'an. Li was then forced to flee to
Southwest China's Sichuan Province. The disgruntled troops
mutinied, killing Yang Guozhong and demanded that Lady Yang be put
to death. When Li refused to comply, Lady Yang hanged herself.
After the rebellion was suppressed, Li built a shrine to Lady
Yang and was overwhelmed with bittersweet memories. Lady Yang, who
was once a fairy in heaven, returned to the fairy mountain. Through
a necromancer, they met in the Guanghan Palace of the moon and
remained as lovers in the highest heaven.
Written by Hong Sheng (1645-1704) in 1688, The Palace of
Eternal Youth is a masterpiece of the Kunqu opera. Through the
work, Hong turned a part of history into a legend that spans the
human world, heaven and hell.
However, the play, which consists of five acts and 50 scenes,
has rarely been staged in its full length. In the last 100 years or
so, only a few excerpts have been performed.
The Shanghai Kunju Opera Troupe has spent three years on the new
production of
The Palace of Eternal Youth, which is almost
a complete version missing only a few parts.
Tang Sifu, who produced the play and adapted the script for the
stage, says she originally planned to include all of the five acts
and 50 scenes, but eventually condensed it to four acts and 43
scenes, fearing that it would become too tedious for today's
audiences.
Scenes from The Palace of Eternal Youth feature Emperor
Li Longji and his concubine Yang Yuhuan. The newly produced Kunqu
opera, staged during the ongoing Shanghai International Arts
Festival, lasts 10 hours.File photos
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"Most Kunqu audiences are familiar with eight of the most dramatic
scenes that are often performed individually. We are trying to make
other scenes of the production as appealing as those eight scenes,"
says Tang.
Subtitles in both Chinese and English are provided during the
performance, making it easier for foreigners and young audiences to
understand the lyrics.
In terms of music, the band plays the ancient Chinese instrument
bianzhong (set chimes), which adds a solemn atmosphere to the
play.
For some Kunqu fans, it was the performances of senior actors
such as Cai Zhengren, Zhang Jingxian and Ji Zhenhua that impressed
them most.
"It is a challenge for a Kunqu actor to play The Palace of
Eternal Youth, since the story involves not only love but also
imperial lives," says 66-year-old Cai Zhengren, who plays Emperor
Li in the third act of the play. "I believe that it is more
difficult than the other Kunqu classic Peony Pavilion."
The cast of The Palace of Eternal Youth is a
combination of senior and young actors. Young actors such as Zhang
Jun and Li An have also been warmly received.
"I have performed excerpts of The Palace of Eternal
Youth before, but after rehearsing the whole play I came to
understand it more deeply," says 32-year-old actor Li An, who plays
Emperor Li in the second and fourth acts. "It is a difficult but
enjoyable work."
The Shanghai Kunju Opera Troupe will give three complete
performances of The Palace of Eternal Youth at the
Shanghai International Arts Festival. The second performance will
end tonight with the fourth act. The last complete performance of
all the four acts will be held on the afternoons and evenings of
Saturday and Sunday.
(China Dialy November 2, 2007)
