Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Wu Fenghua, a two-time recipient of the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award, along with fellow Plum Blossom Award winners Wu Suying and Chen Fei, will lead outstanding performers from the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing to Hong Kong in July. They will present three Yue opera classics “The Peacock Flies Southeast”, “The Aloeswood Fan” and “Mu Guiying Takes Command” for the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Blending literary grace and martial splendour, the performances are a must-see for opera enthusiasts. This programme is also part of the 13th Chinese Opera Festival (COF).
Yue opera, also known as Shaoxing opera, originated in Shengzhou in Shaoxing city of Zhejiang Province, where the ancient kingdom Yue was located. It is mainly characterised by the Banqiang style (accompanied by small drum and wood clappers) and various schools of vocal styles. Over the years, each school has nurtured many renowned Yue opera performing artists such as Fan Ruijuan (Fan school), Fu Quanxiang (Fu school) and Lu Ruiying (Lu school), whose artistic accomplishments are widely recognised.
Details of the performances are as follows:
“The Peacock Flies Southeast”
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Date and time: July 18 (Friday), 7.30pm
“The Peacock Flies Southeast”, dubbed the “Chinese Romeo and Juliet”, recounts the poignant tragedy of Jiao Zhongqing and Liu Lanzhi, who are forced to be separated and ultimately choose to die for love. This masterpiece stands as one of the signature works of Yue opera legends Fan Ruijuan and Fu Quanxiang. This performance stars Wu Fenghua of the Fan school and Chen Fei of the Fu school, perfectly embodying the Fan school’s profound simplicity and the Fu school’s unique graceful vivacity. The classic aria “The Lonely Chamber after That Person is Gone” poetically blends ancient verse with operatic lyrics, accompanied by the interplay of gongs, drums and strings, expressing the lovers’ yearning and resignation.
“The Aloeswood Fan”
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Date and time: July 19 (Saturday), 7.30pm
“The Aloeswood Fan” is a romantic and witty play, starring Wu Fenghua and Wu Suying of the Lu School. The story depicts a cross-class love affair between Xu Wenxiu, a talented scholar from a humble background, and Cai Lanying, a daughter of a minister’s family. One of the most beloved scenes, “At the Study”, features a delightfully comedic interaction between the quick-witted Cai and the simple, honest Xu. With its melodious and graceful vocal artistry, the play showcases the distinctive artistic appeal of Yue opera.
“Mu Guiying Takes Command”
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Date and time: July 20 (Sunday), 7.30pm
“Mu Guiying Takes Command” stands as a signature work of the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing that consists of both civil and martial elements. It has remained popular for over 30 years and is deeply beloved by opera fans. The production tells the household legend of Mu Guiying and Yang Zongbao’s martial contest for marriage and her heroic breaking of the Heavenly Gate Formation, fusing Yue opera’s lyrical elegance with martial grandeur. Chen Fei’s portrayal of Mu Guiying masterfully balances strength and grace, with passionate and soaring vocals that fully capture the heroine’s indomitable spirit. Wu Fenghua, playing the young general Yang Zongbao, demonstrates her solid martial arts skills through her performance in a changkao wusheng (military male in full armour) role.
The Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing was established in 1986. Its productions, including “Li Huiniang”, “How a Dead Cat was Substituted for a New-born Prince”, “Qu Yuan” and others, have received numerous awards such as the Repertory Award at the China Theatre Festival, the Gold Award at China Yue Opera Arts Festival and the China Xiqu Society Award. The troupe is active in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and other regions, and has performed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.
The three performances will be held at the Auditorium of Kwai Tsing Theatre. Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $220, $320, $420 and $520 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discounts and package booking discounts are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the “Chinese Opera Film Shows” of the COF 2025 and the “Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters” lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/the-peacock-flies-southeast-chinese-version-of-romeo-and-juliet.
A meet-the-artists session entitled “Timeless Appeal: The Legacy and Evolution of Yue Opera” (in Putonghua and Cantonese) will be held at 7.30pm on July 17 (Thursday) at AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Wu Fenghua, Wu Suying, Chen Fei and Yu Weiping, while Chinese opera researcher Chan Chun-miu will be the moderator. Admission is free and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html#tab_13_0). If the quotas for online registration are full, those who are interested may wait at the venue’s entrance for a standby quota on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis.
The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, “Tan Dun WE-Festival”, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.