In 1956, the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe adapted the traditional play Dream of Two Bears into Fifteen Strings of Cash. The story centres on a mysterious murder case triggered by fifteen strings of copper coins, unfolding a battle of wits and intricate deductions.  Departing from Kunqu’s traditional focus on young male and female leads, this production highlights the confrontation between a clever rogue and a shrewd magistrate, with chou (comic) and laosheng (old male) as key roles.  Equally unmissable is the classic Kunqu comedy The Lioness Roars, which humorously depicts the marital battle of wits between the scholar Chen Jichang and his formidable wife Madam Liu. The programme will also feature five classic Kunqu excerpts, perfectly blending literary elegance with dynamic stagecraft.

15/8 7:30pm
Fifteen Strings of Cash

Main Cast: Bao Chen, Tian Yang, Xiang Weidong, Xu Ni, Wang Wenhui, Wang Hengtao, Hu Linan

Adapted from Dream of Two Bears, a Qing dynasty play based on the story Fifteen Strings of Cash Cause a Murder from Feng Menglong’s classic collection Stories to Awaken the World, this landmark Kunqu Opera departs from the genre’s usual romantic themes to a gripping tale of Judge Kuang Zhong, who overturns a wrongful conviction and uncovers the true culprit, a cunning trickster named Lou Ashu (Lou the Rat).  In the 1950s, when Kunqu was facing decline, the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe rescripted Dream of Two Bears as Fifteen Strings of Cash.  Its debut was met with national acclaim, including praise from Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, which was highlighted in the People’s Daily editorial as ‘a single play that revived an entire genre’.  The original cast featured master artists Zhou Chuanying as Kuang Zhong and Wang Chuansong as Lou the Rat.  Now regarded as a cornerstone of modern Kunqu history, this production has been passed down through five generations over 70 years.  The upcoming performance features Bao Chen and Tian Yang in the lead, who uphold the legacy with this timeless classic.

16/8  7:30pm
The Lioness Roars

Main Cast: Zeng Jie, Hu Ping, Bao Chen

‘When the lioness of Hedong suddenly roars, He would be scared out of his wits and drop the cane in his hand.’

The phrase ‘roar of Hedong’s lioness’ comes from a poem by Su Dongpo, a distinguished literary figure in Song dynasty literature, when he described his henpecked friend Chen Jichang.  It was later to become a popular expression referring to domineering wives.  Inspired by this tale, Ming playwright Wang Tingna wrote The Lioness Roars, a lively comedy about Chen’s wish to take a concubine due to his lack of an heir, and the chaos that ensues when his fierce wife, née Liu, adamantly refuses to give her consent.  The opera is best known for its three excerpts At the Toilette Table, Kneeling by the Pond, and Three Fears, which were among the signature repertoires of Wang Shiyu, dubbed the ‘number one actor in scholarly roles’.  Madam Liu is portrayed as dominating and prideful, but never to the extent of being objectionable due to Chen’s ultimate devotion to her.  The legendary interpretations that placed the fierce wife above the timid husband now find contemporary resolutions through the balanced dynamics of marital relationships as well as the comedic appeal that delights audiences.

17/8  2:30pm
Traditional Opera Excerpts
The Celestial Place from The Dream of Nanke, Cancelling the Birthday Celebrations from The Pavilion of Chanting in the Wind, Rendezvous at the Pavilion from Red Pear Blossom, Entrusting His Son from The Beauty Washing Silk by the River, Fighting on the Water from Leifeng Pagoda

Main Cast: Wu Xinyi, Xi Bingqi, Hu Linan, Li Qiongyao, Bao Chen, Wang Jing, Wang Hengtao, Wang Wenhui, Xiang Weidong, Zhang Kankan, Xu Ni, Ni Runzhi, Zhang Tangxiao, Tian Yang, Huang Yi

In this specially curated selection of classic Kunqu excerpts, The Celestial Place is an aria from The Dream of Nanke by 16th-century playwright Tang Xianzu, one of his four plays on the ‘dream’ theme.  In it, Princess Yaofang sings a classic that displays her commanding grace despite her illness.  In Cancelling the Birthday Celebrations from The Pavilion of Chanting in the Wind, an actor in laodan (old woman) role urges Song statesman Kou Zhun to remember his humble origins, and be mindful of overweening pride.  It is sung with lyrical appeal and is morally resonant.  Rendezvous at the Pavilion from Red Pear Blossom is typical of Kunqu narratives about romance between a gifted scholar and a charming beauty.  The beautifully written libretto is delivered with mellifluous vocals by the troupe’s rising stars in the lead roles.  Entrusting His Son from The Beauty Washing Silk by the River was the earliest chuanqi in Kunqu which led to the ensuing popularity of the genre.  Instead of narrating the bitter-sweet love of Xi Shi the beauty, it tells of the heart-wrenching farewell between Wu Zixu and his son.  Fighting on the Water from Leifeng Pagoda is a rousing scene of action, with the White Snake and the Green Snake leading the aquatic army to fight the celestial host.  It is a spectacular finale displaying the full spectrum of the artistic strengths of the troupe.