Review: Classic Chinese Opera Gets New Look Classical Opera Review: Taiwan’s GuoGuang Opera Company Modernizes Classic Beijing Opera To Attract Younger Audience
Classical Opera Review: Taiwan’s GuoGuang Opera Company Modernizes Classic Beijing Opera To Attract Younger Audience
Before you think of this as a dull old show on a stage, get a new perspective!
- Classic Chinese opera is developing current trends in the best interest of today’s needs.
- GuoGuang Opera Company revitalizes and keeps alive a 200-year-old theatre performance originating from China.
Recently, I get to sit in a comfortable auditorium in Sentul West’s Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre to watch the premiere of Jingju Magic – Love & Bewildernment featuring two classic stories: “Zhuangzi Tests His Wife” and “Lu Wenlong”.
Mixing comedy and dramatic expressions, the simple set design did not detract the audience from the story-telling played only by four person on stage.
Accompanied by a quartet of musicians trumpeting and clashing cymbals and traditional wind instruments, this classical theatrics represents a unique art of Asia culture.
Sonically, it was a tug of war between senses. It was loud and disturbingly menacing at the same time. The theatrics cannot exist without its musicians. Delicately and precisely, its sound design mirrors each movement.
Here, the skilled acrobatic movements depicting any forms of complexity are followed by clapping – a form of appreciation and encouragement to the artistic actors.
There were many moments of teeth-clenching and breath-holding on my side before a mili-second of a stunt is accomplished.
A desire to jump out of my seat happened numerous times when I thought a stunt was aborting. What a sense of trepidation I’ve endured seeing every skit maneuvered exceptionally.
It is both breathtaking and exhilarating, delicate and strong at the same time.
With two screens on the side of the stage providing Chinese and English subtitles, the actors expressed great lyricism in their gentle movements to portray sadness, anger, bewilderment and passion.
Aiming to promote Jingju at home and abroad, the Company has added elements of modern consciousness to the traditional oeuvre and enhanced its literary quality.
Not only has this won acclaim from audiences of all ages, it has also given shape to a new school of Jingju aesthetics.
“This is exploding expressionism of eastern art, although waning in its interest in live entertainment today has break new grounds. Guogang is serious in storytelling in the best interest of a dying art,” — Monica Tong, editor-in-chief of Music Press Asia.
Jingju or famously known as Beijing Opera has a long history famous at depicting classic literature and theatre.
Similar to Shakespeare’s works, eastern classic literature is embedded into the singing and speech making Chinese opera some of the most difficult theatre to understand today.
But have you seen a live performance lately?
One that will give you new perspective to and aged-old classic?
GuoGuang Opera Company – Taiwan’s premier Peking opera troupe – has set their objective to do just that.
Classics and historical figures are brought to live that night.
The perfecting of the 200-plus-year-old art form that combines singing, music, dance, acrobatics and martial arts is a revolutionizing art form today.
All eyes are on the performers tasked to create the illusion and magic of theatre.
The company’s 3-day performance in Kuala Lumpur is a collaboration between Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia, KLPAC and National Center for Traditional Arts (Taiwan) with support from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and Advantech Foundation.
Led by director Peng Chun-Kang, the theatre company consists of 29-strong troupe. Artistic direction at GuoGuang is led by Wang An-Chi and Chang Yu-Hua as CEO.
Watch more similar performances at KLPAC, here.