Local Cantonese opera elites to present two classic Three Kingdoms operas in July
The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD),will present two classic Three Kingdoms Cantonese operas "Zhou Yu Thrice Humiliated" and "The Battle of Changbanpo" in July. Under the artistic direction of veteran Cantonese opera artist Yuen Siu-fai, the productions will feature his long-time stage partner Wan Fai-yin, and Lee Lung, acclaimed as "the living Zhao Yun (Zhao Zilong)", alongside a dedicated cast of local Cantonese opera elites. The performances will take audiences back to the Three Kingdoms era of fierce rivalries and showcase the classic singing style and enduring legacy of Cantonese opera artistry. This programme is also one of the programmes of the 13th Chinese Opera Festival (COF).
Details of the performances are as follows:
"Zhou Yu Thrice Humiliated"
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Date and time: July 26 (Saturday), 7.30pm
The "Zhou Yu Thrice Humiliated" depicts the battle of wits and strategy between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang. Zhou's repeated attempts were all thwarted by Zhuge's brilliance and to no avail in the end. Feeling infuriated, Zhou passes away, lamenting on the co-existence of Zhuge and Zhou in this world. Some of the arias in the play are performed in classic singing style (using Zhongzhou dialect), while the three climactic battle scenes employ long-unseen classic performance practices. Yuen Siu-fai, Lee Lung and Wan Fai-yin will portray Zhou Yu, Zhao Zilong and Lady Sun Shangxiang respectively, while young actors Alan Tam and Wan Yiu-sing will take on the roles of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. Gathering some of the three generations' local elites to perform on the same stage, thereby passing down the invaluable traditions of Cantonese opera.
"The Battle at Changbanpo"
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Date and time: July 27 (Sunday), 7.30pm
"The Battle at Changbanpo" was originally devised by Yuen Siu-fai for the reopening of Ko Shan Theatre in 1996. The story recounts Cao Cao's pursuit of Liu Bei at Changbanpo after defeating Lu Bu, focusing on Zhao Yun's heroic fest of charging seven times through Cao's army alone to rescue his master's infant heir. This time, the production again stars Lee Lung, who originally played Zhao Zilong, alongside Yuen Siu-fai as Liu Bei. A new generation of actors has also been cast, including Alan Tam as Lu Bu and Ng Kwok-wa as Zhang Fei. The play has a cast that covers the full range of role types, with some arias preserved in classic singing style. The performers will showcase the Xiqu art skills of the Southern School and the Northern School, enhanced by live music and powerful rhythms of gongs and drums to deliver the dramatic moments of the play.
The two performances will be held at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall. Lyrics and part of the dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $180, $280, $380 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk).For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discounts and package booking discounts are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the "Chinese Opera Film Shows" of the COF 2025 and the "Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters" lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visitwww.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/cantonese-opera-zhou-yu-thrice-humiliated-by-zhuge-liang-and-the-battle-at-changbanpo.
The programme will also feature a meet-the-artists session (in Cantonese) to be held at 7.30pm on July 24 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Yuen Siu-fai, Lee Lung and Wan Fai-yin, while Barbara Tang will be the moderator. Admission is free. Since the quotas for online registration are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue's entrance for a standby quota on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis.
The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public's national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, "Tan Dun WE-Festival", film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.
Local Cantonese opera elites to present two classic Three Kingdoms operas in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Local Cantonese opera elites to present two classic Three Kingdoms operas in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Local Cantonese opera elites to present two classic Three Kingdoms operas in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
