'The General and Prime Minister’ premieres in London

The China National Peking Opera Company returns to London on Oct. 13, bringing with them two more examples of classic storytelling from China: “The General and the Prime Minister,” and the much-loved “Legend of White Snake.” [Photo / China.org.cn]

London's stages rarely glitter so bright, but Chinese opera, which China's National Peking Opera Company performed at the Peacock Theatre from Oct. 13 to 15, is by nature a show of visual vibrancy.

The China National Peking Opera Company returned to London on Oct. 13, bringing with them two more examples of classic storytelling from China: “The General and the Prime Minister,” and the much-loved “Legend of White Snake.”

Performing as part of Sadler's Wells' Out of Asia 2 season, the Peking opera company started their short run of shows with “The General and the Prime Minister.”

This opera draws from China's rich history. It is set during the Warring States Period (475 – 221 B.C.), a time when the many kingdoms of China fought for supremacy.

The opera company started well with one of Peking opera's distinctive features: acrobatics. The first scene is a battle between the Qin (the villain) and Zhao (the hero) kingdoms. Owing to the minimalism of Peking opera and its small cast, these acrobats make an excellent representation of warrior might, of an exciting fray, of military prowess, that you wouldn't see in Western theatre.

From here the story follows the victorious General Lian Po back to the Zhao Kingdom where we meet the would-be-prime-minister Lin Xiangru. Lin is a man of quick wit and humble origins who will, over the course of the night, climb to the Zhao Kingdom's top administrative position.

Based on the first half, to call this story “The General and the Prime Minister” seems a slight misnomer. The first half of the play is less about General Lian Po and more about Lin's gradual rise to power, which he gains by outsmarting the enemy King of Qin in a war of words.