Four Generations on Stage – Performance of Cantonese OperaLeisure and Cultural Services Department
Guan Hanqing is the most highly regarded among the ‘Four Masters of Yuan Opera’. His plays cover a wide range of subject matters and forms, most of which have been considered reflections of reality in society at his time. For the present performance, three of his plays have been adapted into Cantonese Opera playlets by the preeminent Cantonese Opera artist, Prof Yuen Siu-fai, and will be performed by star-studded cast from 4 generations. This triple-bill performance will be a testimony to the passage of this cultural legacy from generation to generation.
Saving a Prostitute
A courtesan named Song Yinzhang has made a love pledge with a scholar named An Xiushi. But lured by the sweet talk of a rogue called Zhou She, Song Yinzhang marries Zhou She instead, despite the voice of disapproval from her confidante, Zhao Paner. After marriage, Song Yinzhang suffers under the abusive Zhou She, and seeks help from Paner, who devises a setup to trick Zhou She into divorcing Song Yinzhang. Soon Zhou She realises that he has been tricked, and reports to the authority that Zhao Paner has abducted his wife. To counter this, Zhao Paner sues Zhou She in return and presents the divorce letter written by Zhou She. In the end, Zhou She is punished by caning, and An Xiushi and Song Yinzhang finally become husband and wife.
Scene 1 A Sham of a Marriage
The famed courtesan Song Yinzhang is in love with scholar An Xiushi. As they are getting ready for marriage, Zhou She the dandy intervenes and Song Yinzhang is lured away by his sweet talk despite the disapproval from her confidante Zhao Paner.
Scene 2 Leaping to the Rescue
Soon after Song Yinzhang and Zhou She get married, Zhou She reveals his true self as a debaucher. Not only does he brush Song Yinzhang aside for his new loves, but also abuses her and treats her like a slave. Unable to stand it anymore, Song Yinzhang writes to Zhao Paner for help. Zhao Paner is her long-time friend, and seeing that An Xiushi truly loves Song Yinzhang, she comes up with a plan to save Song Yinzhang while settling the issue with Zhou She.
Scene 3 An Eye for an Eye
Knowing that Zhou She is a womanizer, Zhao Paner pays him a visit with several beautiful courtesans. She pretends to be on Zhou She’s side by telling him how undesirable Song Yinzhang is, and hints that if he divorces Song Yinzhang, he can have all the beautiful courtesans as he likes. Already totally entranced by the bevy, Zhou She immediately writes the divorce letter. With the divorce letter, Song Yinzhang is free.
The Riverside Pavilion
A scholar official, Bai Shizhong, meets a widow, Tan Jier, and the two are married. But Yang the Court Officer wants to have Tan Jier for himself, so he lies to the Emperor to obtain an imperial decree and a sword to put Bai Shizhong to death. Tan Jier disguises herself as a fishmonger and meets Yang the Court Officer at the Riverside Pavilion. Tan Jier flirts with him and makes him drunk, then gets away with the imperial decree and the sword. Yang’s fraudulent claim is discovered and has his official title taken away.
Scene 1 A Sudden Onslaught
Tan Jier is a widow. She chances upon Bai Shizhong in a temple, when Bai Shizhong is on his way to assume his official position in Tanzhou. The two fall in love and soon become husband and wife. Having long coveted Tan Jier as concubine, Yang the Court Officer is piqued for losing his bait. He makes a false report to the Emperor, accusing Bai Shizhong of debauchery and negligence of duty. He also obtains the imperial decree to have Bai Shizhong executed. With the imperial decree in hand, Yang the Court Officer returns to Tanzhou. The news of Bai Shizhong’s imminent execution shocks the elders of Bai Shizhong in court. They send a messenger to inform Bai Shizhong on a fast horse. Bai Shizhong is totally devastated upon learning the news. Tan Jier realises that even if the elders appeal to the Emperor to save Bai Shizhong, they are running out of time as the imperial decree is already on its way to Tanzhou. Tan Jier comes up with an idea to outsmart Yang the Court Officer.
Scene 2 Slicing Fish
Yang the Court Officer has already arrived at the Riverside Pavilion, getting ready to go to the Bai residence next morning. Disguised as a fishmonger, Tan Jier flirts with Yang and gets away with the imperial decree after making him drunk.
Scene 3 Decree Amended
The next morning, Yang the Court Officer goes to the Bai residence, all ready to have him killed. But when Yang takes out the imperial decree, he finds it is only a vulgar poem he wrote while he was drunk. Bai Shizhong accuses him of faking an imperial decree instead. While Yang the Court Officer and Bai Shizhong are arguing, the imperial envoy arrives with the new order, indicating that Yang has deceived the Emperor. Yang the Court Officer is sent home to wait for the final verdict from the Emperor.
Meeting the Enemies Alone
During the Three Kingdoms period, to demand for the return of Jingzhou to the Wu Kingdom, Lu Su invites Guan Yu to a banquet across the river where an ambush is waiting. Knowing very well that it is a setup, Guan Yu goes to the banquet with his sole attendant Zhou Cang, while his sons Guan Ping and Guan Xing stand by as reinforcement by the river. At the banquet, Guan Yu and Lu Su confront each other with their weapons after a few drinks. When Lu Su loses, Guan Yu takes Lu Su hostage to his boat, so that Lu Su dares not order his ambushers to attack. Guan Yu returns to his camp unscathed.
Scene 1 Asking for Advice
Lu Su, the strategist for the Wu Kingdom, demands Liu Bei of Han to return Jingzhou, the land Liu Bei has ‘borrowed’. But Lu Su receives only a rebuttal from Liu Bei. Lu Su then seeks advice from his seniors, Qiao Xuan and Sima Hui. Both advise that Lu Su should go with the flow of things and should not force his hand. Despite the advice, Lu Su decides to invite Guan Yu to a banquet across the river, where he will demand Guan Yu to return Jingzhou by force.
Scene 2 A Lesson to the Son
When Guan Yu receives the invitation, his son Guan Ping tries to persuade him not to go, for fear that he may be ambushed. Guan Yu is confident that with the backing of righteousness, he has no fear of any danger. Guan Yu goes to the banquet armed only with his Green Dragon Broadsword and with only one attendant, Zhou Cang.
Scene 3 Meeting the Enemies
Guan Yu crosses the river to attend the banquet. As Guan Yu and Lu Su meet at the hall above, the pavilion is already heavily sieged by Lu Su’s troops. Guan Yu is undaunted and reasons with Lu Su. Finally Lu Su fails. Guan Yu takes Lu Su as hostage, breaks the siege, boards the ship, and returns to his camp unscathed.