Off the wire
• Urgent: 8 attackers killed in Paris shootings, explosions  • UN chief slams deadly terrorist attacks in Beirut suburb  • Chinese premier strongly condemns Paris terror attacks  • Chinese firm to invest 2.15 bln USD in Mexico's energy sector  • 2nd LD-Writethru: China's central bank welcomes IMF MD Lagarde's statement  • Xi expresses "strongest" condemnation over Paris terror attacks  • Smog to linger in north China, rain to pause in south  • 1st LD-Writethru: China condemns terrorist attacks in Paris  • Pivotal Beijing cloverleaf junction closed for overhaul  • Roundup: Tibetan cultural delegation shares views on modern Tibet in U.S.  
You are here: 　 Home

Feature: Peking Opera hailed by Liverpool audience

Xinhua, November 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Peking Opera masterpiece Warrior Women of Yang, performed by artists from China National Peking Opera Company won applauses and hails Friday evening after they concluded their performance in Echo Arena Liverpool.

It was the first show of China National Peking Opera Company in Britain since its last visit 10 years before.

As one of the important events of the Year of China-UK Cultural Exchange and a highly supported project of Minister of Culture of China, the company brings two classic operas to Britain, Warrior Women of Yang and Farewell My Concubine.

China National Peking Opera Company will continue to perform in Echo Arena Liverpool until Nov. 15, and then travel to Sadler's Wells Theater in London from Nov. 19 to 22.

Among the 64-member visiting group, several leading Peking Opera artists, such as Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu, Gao Yaoyao, Liu Kuikui, are included. Besides the performances, they will also attend seminars and displays in some local organizations, including Confucius Institutes, to promote Chinese traditional opera.

Gary Millar, vice mayor of Liverpool, watched the opera and told Xinhua reporter that he watched the rehearsal during his business trip to Beijing last week.

"They didn't dress up, and it was just the voices I followed what was going on. I had to leave when I saw the first episode, so I was desperate to see the end in Liverpool. It's marvelous and wonderful," he said.

The beginning of the performance that family members of Yang hid the death of General Yang Zongbao from the great grandmother She Taijun, as well as Yang's wife's performance impressed him. The female performer who played the Yang's son was very energetic and agile, he added.

Rachel Rogers, a project development manager of a local dance organization, brought her 6-year-old son to watch the opera on Friday evening. She studied cultural performances all over the world years ago, and she knew Peking Opera and Mei Lanfang, but it is the first time she watched Peking Opera with her son.

"My favorite part was the fighting. The 100-year-old granny is the most important person," her son said, adding he would go home to practice the movements.

"I took my son to see the opera because it is so rare to have an opportunity to see something like this. It is the best performance I've seen of anything from a very long time and I really enjoy that," she said.

Yu Kuizhi, Vice President and Artistic Director of China National Peking Opera Company, was among the group who visited Britain in 2005.

"The level of recognition of Peking Opera by westerners has been improved in the past ten years. Some audience who came today watched our performances 10 years ago. And the cheer from audience tonight made me feel I was performing in Beijing. Liverpool audience were as cheerful as our domestic audience," Yu said.

"To promote excellent Chinese culture and art, and to tell the story of China to the world, I believe Peking Opera is one of the most representative and important tools. The performances are not just commercial ones, but also an ambassador of cultural exchange," he added. Endi