The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said in a statement earlier this week that four performances are set to take place between October 22 and 31 as part of the National Art Troupes Performance Season in Macao 2024.
The statement said that the performances are the Liyuan Opera new production “The Scholar and the Widow” presented by the Fujian Liyuan Opera Heritage Centre (formerly Fujian Liyuan Opera Experimental Troupe), the only professional performance group of the opera, and the “Golden Lotus Blossoms Concerts Series” presented by the China National Opera House. The former will be held on October 22 and 23 at 7:45 p.m. at CCM’s Small Auditorium, while the latter is slated for October 30 and 31 at 8 p.m. at the Grand Auditorium.
Liyuan Opera, a form of Chinese opera originating in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, is sung in the Quanzhou dialect of the Minnan (Southern Fujian) system and is one of the oldest theatrical genres in China, the statement said, adding that it has a history of over eight centuries.
“The Scholar and the Widow” is a story about Mr Dong and Ms Li who break through numerous barriers to achieve a happy reunion, featuring a free-flowing storyline and showcasing “the glamour of Liyuan Opera”. The play has won the First Cao Yu Drama Literature Awards, the National Stage Art Excellent Project Drama Award, and the Excellent Repertoire Award of the Ministry of Culture, the statement said.
Moreover, The Golden Lotus Blossoms – A Special Concert of Chinese Classical Poetry aims to “build bridges between tradition and modernity as well as between Eastern and Western cultures”, and features a “multi-dimensional combination” of music, recitation, chorus and stage design, the statement said. Moreover, a second performance titled “Golden Lotus Blossoms – A Concert of Selected Classic Opera Arias from China and the World” will mainly present classic Chinese national opera excerpts in the first half, while international classic opera chapters will be showcased in the second, the statement said.
Tickets are now available, with ticketing details available on www.macauticket.com, while concert details can be found on www.icm.gov.mo.
This undated handout photo shows a performance taking place for “The Scholar and the Widow’, which will take to the stage on October 22 and 23 at the Macau Cultural Centre’s (CCM) Small Auditorium. – Photo: IC
