Boom city swaps commerce for culture
By Chen Jie and Zou Huilin (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-15 09:09

Old and new

Both traditional Chinese opera and modern Chinese drama are on offer.

Liu Ping, a Shanghai-based drama critic, said: "The directors and the creative crews for the traditional Chinese operas are working hard to innovate their productions to attract more young people's attention rather than only retaining those middle aged and above viewers."

He pointed out that at least two operas - Shanghai Kunju Opera House's "Peach Blossom Pink" (Yipian Taohua Hong) and Suzhou Kunju Opera House's "Peony Pavilion" (Mudan Ting) - state these are operas for the young.

"Peach Blossom Pink" is an opera written by noted playwright Luo Huachen, and is about the romance between a brave but ugly woman warrior Zhong Wuyan and the king of Qi.

"Peony Pavilion" is the most noted work by Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) about the great love story between a beautiful young lady Du Liniang, and a handsome young man Liu Mengmei - it is a Chinese version of "Sleeping Beauty."

The distinguished writer Bai Xianyong (Pai Hsien-yung) from Taiwan teamed up the young albeit excellent crew of Suzhou Kunqu Opera House to restore the ancient fairy tale especially for the young viewers.

Liu added that drama-lovers also show great interest in modern Chinese plays such as "Thunderstorm" produced by Shanghai Entertainment Tonight Co Ltd featuring an all-star cast, and "Golden Cangue" (Jinsuo Ji) produced by Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre on the basis of noted female writer Eileen Chang's namesake novel.

Born and bred in Shanghai, Chang (1920-95) was recognized as one of the foremost writers of love stories and novels during her lifetime. Her works frequently deal with the tensions between men and women in love, and employ as a backdrop the historic background of Shanghai and Hong Kong in the 1930s to 1950s.

Publishing her first novel in 1943, Chang immediately became the most popular author in Shanghai. In 1952, she left Shanghai and worked for the American News Agency in Hong Kong. She moved to the United States in 1955, and also wrote several English novels, none of which has met the popularity her Chinese works had, however.

In 1995, she died alone in her apartment in the United States.

Adapted from the original novel, best-selling female writer Wang Anyi creates the dramatic script which tells the tragic life of Cao Qiqiao, who falls victim to the patriarchal familial system in the early 20th century and consciously exploits it to destroy the lives of others.

Cao lives half of her life tied by the "golden cangue," which symbolized the constraint and oppression of the powerful Jiang family which she married into.

Having led 30 unfulfilled years and destroying the only love she ever longed for, she grew bitter and vengeful.

The "golden cangue" that made her suffer also made others suffer, as Cao eagerly destroyed the happiness of others to repay her suffering.

The famous movie director Huang Shuqin directs the play. Wu Mian acts Cao and Peking Opera actor Guan Dongtian performs the leading female role.

"I liked the role as soon as I got the script. It's a good opportunity for an actress but also a challenge. Cao is a very sophisticated woman and I will act from her 20s to 50s," said Wu.

Aside from the Chinese dramas, artists from abroad also bring many works such as the mime show by the Alithea Mime Theatre from the US. Since 1990, founder and artistic director Nicholas Johnson has created many productions of single and multi-discipline performances such as "Angels Rising" and "Asylum."

The Alithea Mime Theatre has toured and performed at the International Mime Art Festival held in Warsaw, Poland, in May 2000, and the First International Mime and Physical Theatre Festival in the Caribbean, San Juan, Puerto Rico, in May 2001.

As for the art exhibition, over 10 shows including the highly-acclaimed Shanghai Biennale and Shanghai Art Fair will be held during the one-month art festival.