EVENT DESCRIPTION
Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre’s Romantic Dream in Garden centres on the aesthetics of the imperial court, presenting Kunqu with distinctive palace-style elegance. The plot reinvents the narrative through a “dream-within-a-dream” structure: within the dream, the lovers meet and pledge devotion, followed by heartbreak and death; the boundary between life and the afterlife dissolves as human and spirit unite, until Du Liniang awakens—completing the cycle from entering to leaving the dream. While honouring the original spirit of the classic, this production reveals the enduring interpretive richness and profound artistry of The Peony Pavilion.
For the costumes, Palace Museum specialists were invited to conduct research based on court documents such as the Shengping Bureau Role Portraits, designing garments that replicate Ming and Qing dynasty court attire through fully hand-embroidered Suzhou craftsmanship. Patterns and colours conform to imperial ceremonial standards, exuding an Eastern aesthetic of luxurious yet refined grace. The stage merges classical and contemporary techniques: a triple rotating “moon gate” and seven layered gauze curtains, enhanced by modern lighting, construct a multidimensional space where illusion and reality intertwine. Artistically, the production incorporates the Qing-era ensemble chorus Da Duihua and the intangible cultural heritage “Gem Flower” ritual objects. The music preserves the traditional gongche notation while innovatively adding bianzhong (chime bells) elements—their metallic resonance complementing the strings and winds, evoking the solemn ritual atmosphere of imperial performances and showcasing the harmonious fusion of traditional Kunqu and court culture.
Dates and time:
17–18 April 2026 (Friday to Saturday)
7:30pm
Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes without intermission
Mandarin with Chinese surtitles
