On October 29 2017, An Afternoon of Chinese Theater, a program by Chinese American Arts Council, will present four classic programs of Peking Opera at the New York Chinatown Community Center Theater at CCBA.

Programs:
DOUBLE SPEAR LOU WENLONG
DREAM IN THE BOUDOIR
BATTLE OF WAN
THE BROKEN BRIDGE

Leading Roles:
FANG Yulin, DAI Nuo, ZHOU Longchang

Bonus Program: Juin-Ling Wang Chinese Music Orchestra Ensemble.

[Peking Opera] is one of the representatives of Chinese traditional theaters, originated from the Qing Dynasty period. The opera was originally produced as an entertainment for nobles of the imperial court. Gradually, for its rich history of memorable performances and interesting repertoire, it was spread to the general public and became a popular theatrical act. Over the last several hundred years, some traditional theatrical elements had been preserved through Peking Opera, whether it’s the colors and lines to create various patterns to symbolize the character with the masks, or the role of the simple hand props that turn into the images of horse carts and horses. Undeniably, some Chinese culture lived through the history via the long history of Peking Opera. In 2010, UNESCO promoted the inclusion of the Peking Opera as part of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list.

The program to be performed includes four renowned and popular opera plays, each has its own unique storyline, music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics.

Double Spear Lou Wenlong is adapted from a historical novel at Song Dynasty, which depicts a brave young warrior’s great combat ability and how the ongoing war affects each kingdom’s royal family, leading them to make sacrifices, pledging loyalty, or even slaughter each other.

Dream in The Boudoir is also based on historical event from the end of Han Dynasty, where the first persona, a newly wed wife, dreamt about her husband coming home from the battlefield yet the scene suddenly turned into a bloodshed. From ecstasy to being horrified, she woke up abruptly, only later to find the news of her husband’s death.

Battle of Wan depicts a well-known strategic battle of late Eastern Han Dynasty, where Zhang Xiu rebelled against Cao Cao and hit his camp surprisingly at night.

The Broken Bridge is an act of the renowned play “The Legend of the White Snake”. The white snake is pregnant with a human’s baby, only to find her husband betrayed her. With mixed feelings of rage and despair, this act depicts the couple’s dramatic journey of struggle, love, and forgiveness.