Black Box Chinese Opera Festival 2025: Wenguang Explores the Valley

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Set 1,000 years ago, in the Northern Song dynasty, Wenguang Explores the Valley is an experimental retelling of an historic tale centred around the legendary Yang family generals.

The adaptation features renowned Cantonese opera actors Keith Lai, Janet Wong, Ng Lap-hei and Shum Pak-chuen, who showcase martial arts skills that combine Northern and Southern influences and portray characters from three generations of the family.

Through a mix of traditional and new set pieces, stunning multimedia visuals and contemporary theatre technology and practices, the adaptation presents Wenguang’s contemplation of his family legacy as a metaphor for the preservation and innovation of Cantonese opera in the modern era.

Wenguang Explores the Valley is the Xiqu Centre’s second experimental Cantonese opera production. Since its 2019 premiere in Beijing, the critically acclaimed 70-minute work has been recognised with a number of prestigious awards.

Regional languages with Chinese and English surtitles.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

The annual Black Box Chinese Opera Festival presents original productions offering new perspectives on a heritage art form. Devised and adapted for the modern stage, each work showcases bold experimentation and a contemporary sensibility through a range of regional genres and styles. This year’s programme features the Xiqu Centre’s three award-winning Cantonese opera productions – Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation), Wenguang Explores the Valley and The Imperial Decree – along with two acclaimed Kunqu operas, Qingshan Embrace Me by the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe and The Burning Painting by the Yangju Opera Institute of Yangzhou and Jiangsu Drama and Literature Creation Institute.