Qinqiang, also known as Luantan, is one of the most representative opera genres of Xi’an, with a profound impact on the development of Chinese opera.  Its singing style features wide vocal ranges and resounding tones, while retaining an intricate tonal delicacy.  Its direct and intense emotional expression and the resonant, soaring vocals never fail to touch the audience.  This programme brings together National Class One performers and Plum Blossom Award winners, featuring the classic piece Returning to Jingzhou based on the plot of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.  With an unrivalled cast covering a full range of stock roles, the production portrays thrilling power struggles in an awe-inspiring spectacle.  Equally compelling is Zhou Ren on the Way Home, coined as one of the ‘Eight Great Libretti of Qinqiang’.

4/7 7:30pm 
Returning to Jingzhou

Returning to Jingzhou, also named A Right Royal Match, tells the story during the Three Kingdoms period, weaving a plot around a marriage deception that turns real, tactfully combining political intrigue with elements of romance.  The narrative is tightly woven and peppered with humour.  A stellar cast, complete with the four pillar roles of sheng (male), dan (female), jing (painted face), and chou (clown), delivers meticulous singing, reciting, acting, and martial arts feats in a classic showcase of Qinqiang artistry amidst the resonant rhythms of bangzi.  Plum Blossom Award winners performing in this repertoire include Qi Aiyun, one of the ‘Four Famous Dan Actresses’ of Qinqiang.  She will deliver a nuanced portrayal of Sun Shangxiang, a sweet yet strong independent woman.  In the scene Farewell to Mother, she bids a tearful goodbye to Lady Wu, played by Qu Qiaozhe.  Their seamless vocal interplay poignantly conveys to the audience the complex struggle between familial bonds and righteous duty.  In addition, the role of Zhou Yu, the strategist whose ‘brilliant plans bring peace to the nation’, is performed by the popular young actor Zhang Tao, whose captivating arias and exceptional martial arts skills in the scene Zhou Yu the Marshal are not to be missed.

Main Cast: Qi Aiyun, Wang Xincang, Qu Qiaozhe, Zhi Zhaofei, Zhang Tao, Deng Wen, Sun Yadong, Tan Jianxun, Wang Xin

5/7 7:30pm 
Zhou Ren on the Way Home

Zhou Ren on the Way Home is one of the famous ‘Eight Great Libretti of Qinqiang’.  The story is set against the backdrop of power struggles during the Ming dynasty, where righteousness and loyalty stand out.  An intricate plot with many twists and turns portrays characters with stunning psychological insight.  Two Plum Blossom Award winners alternate in the role of the protagonist, each demonstrating remarkable feats: Wang Xincang uses a piercingly sorrowful singing style, combined with masterly skills like ‘headgear shaking’ and ‘hair twirling’, to depict the despair and inner conflict of sacrificing his wife to save a friend in the scenes Regrets on the Road and On His Way Home; while Tan Jianxun, with his distinctive vocalise passages, delivers a high-flung, emotionally charged performance.  The play reaches its climactic moments in A Torture Session and Weeping at the Tomb, which pose significant challenges to the actors’ comprehensive skills.  Dou Fengqin, acclaimed as ‘Golden Voice’, portrays Zhou Ren’s wife, Li Lanying, a loyal and righteous woman who disguises herself to assassinate the evil-doer’s son, ultimately sacrificing herself.  Her uniquely robust yet melodious singing style embodies a perfect blend of strength and feminine delicacy in a heart-wrenching performance.

Main Cast: Wang Xincang / Tan Jianxun (as Zhou Ren), Dou Fengqin, Qi Aiyun, Zhang Tao, Zhang Wuhong, Deng Wen, Sun Yadong