Cyrano de Bergerac – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The inaugural Chinese Culture Festival (CCF), organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will stage three performances of “Cyrano de Bergerac” – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation in mid-June. This play is an adaptation of a French classic piece of the same title. Cantonese opera virtuoso Law Ka-ying – playwright, director and actor all rolled into one – will partner with famous veterans Liza Wang and Sun Kim Long to present this romantic story of a love triangle. This production is a contemporary work developed with traditional Cantonese opera form, showcasing Hong Kong’s strength to serve an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. This new opera is also the opening programme of the 12th Chinese Opera Festival and one of the highlights of the 35th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

“Cyrano de Bergerac” – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation is a play developed by Law over a decade. The story has been transposed from the French battlefield in the original play to Tumu Crisis in the Ming dynasty. The strong cast will delicately interpret the political disputes within the story as well as the complex emotions of love and friendship, through close-knit scenes. This adaptation exhibits an exquisite combination of the plot and musical elements of Western drama while preserving the performing techniques, traditional forms and artistic charm of Cantonese opera. It serves as a demonstration of the eclecticism of the art form, contributing to the promotion of the creative transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture.

The play tells the story of Zhu Bufan, a captain of the noble guard, and his best friend Zhu Yihao, both falling in love with Princess Xu Qishan. Bufan, embarrassed by his large nose, hesitates to confess his love to Qishan, while Yihao, though handsome, is naturally shy and lacks the courage to approach the princess. Bufan then offers to write love letters in Yihao’s name, conveying his own heartfelt feelings to Qishan through these letters. Later, Yihao dies in a battle. Qishan goes to a convent for retreat and Bufan regularly visits her. During one visit, Qishan asks the wounded Bufan to read out Yihao’s love letters and discovers that he can recite those letters. She finally recognises the true heart behind the writings by Bufan.

The programme offers a pre-performance talk and a post-performance talk in Cantonese. The pre-performance talk will be held at 7.30pm on June 3 (Monday) at AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Law and Wang. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is required.

*This programme is part of the Chinese Opera Festival 2024