Staging a classic, with a twist
A time-honored Beijing theater presents a new take on The Peony Pavilion, which has long stood as one of the most celebrated Kunqu Opera, Chen Nan reports.
Yu Xuejiao plays the role of Du, and Shao Zheng plays Liu.
"During one of the acts, Walking in the Garden, I walk down the stage and perform close to the audience. I'm so close that the audience can see my pimples," says Yu. "I have to control my movements, such as throwing my long sleeves and turning my body. It's a very interesting experience to perform at the Zhengyici Theater. Everything about it makes the show very special."
Located in the hutong (traditional alleyway) area of Qianmen, a popular destination in downtown Beijing, the theater was built in 1688 on the ruins of a Buddhist temple, which was initially a guild hall, or a gathering place for business people from Zhejiang province and later became a place for them to pay tribute to their ancestors with performances. It has a long history that includes performances by Peking Opera masters, such as Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) and Tan Xinpei (1847-1917).
According to Zhang, the theater has a capacity of about 150 seats, with two stories of chairs on three sides of the stage. A variety of performances have been staged since the reopening in April 2022. In addition to Kunqu Opera shows, the theater has also hosted violin recitals, dances and performances of traditional Chinese musical instruments.
