A new boost to the beauty of Peking Opera. The Academy of National Theatre Arts is set to release fresh renditions of two timeless Peking Opera pieces from the Cheng school.
The Cheng School is one of the four major schools of Peking Opera for the Dan role. The Dan is any female role in the show. One of the best Cheng school performer is Zhang Huoding, who plays leading roles in the upcoming productions.
The two shows are called "Butterfly Lovers" and "Suolin Purse", one a love story and the other about the life of a charitable girl. The show first introduced the Guzheng, a Chinese stringed instrument, and also features the violin.
"Butterfly lovers is a beautiful story, yet it is also very melancholy. The part when the characters are transformed into butterflies is accompanied by a symphony, as well as traditional Chinese instruments, to create a mystical atmosphere," Wang Ruixing, composer & vocal director of "Butterfly Lovers", said.
The show celebrates the 110th anniversary of the late Cheng Yanqiu, the creator of the Cheng school of Peking opera. It will be staged on April 26th at the Chang’an Grand Theatre in Beijing.
