|
The
Feast of Han Xizai
This
opera is inspired by the Tang painting “The Feast of Han Xizai” kept
in the National Museum of Beijing. The painting depicts the story of the
late Tang bon vivant Han Xizai who gave up his life of luxury and became a
wandering musician as a gesture to protest against a world of political
chaos and low morality. This famous painting is also a precious document
on the fashion, music, dance, and floral art of the Tang dynasty. The
present project is a reconstruction of the story of Han basing on
information provided by this painting. This musical drama is performed by
the group Han Tang Yuefu, founded in Taipei in 1983, creator of the
internationally acclaimed “Pear orchard musical theatre” in 1993.
Programme
Scene
1 “The doze”
Han
Xizai is sadly contemplating the fall of the Southern Tang dynasty. He is
about to disband the dancers and musicians of his mansion. Dancer Wang
Wushan approaches him, trying to console him.
Music:
“The Four Seasons” (First four movements)
Scene
2 “Flute without string”
Guests
arrive in the booming of drums. Lang Can, Chen Zhiyong, Zhu Xian, Li
Jiaming, Monk Deming appear on stage. They are welcomed by dances and
music that give an illusion of peace and prosperity.
Five
musicians play pure flute music: “A hundred birds return to their
nests.”
Scene
3 “Listening to music”
Concubine
Li slowly comes forward with pipa, then sings. The other musicians join
her.
Music:
“The return of the lover”; “To the singer Ni Jindai”
Scene
4 “Recess”
The
literary talent Lang Can, fascinated by Concubine Li, approaches her and
flirts with her. Wang Wushan holds a basin for Xizai to wash his hands but
is stopped by the scholar Chen Zhiyong who tries to seduce her.
Music:
“Magpies on branches”; “To celebrate the august dynasty”
Scene
5 “Watching the dances”
Exhibition
of the art of tea-drinking. Wang Wushan dances to the blooming of drums.
She then takes the flower pestle and leads dancers to a dance with a ball.
Music:
“The four seasons” (The last four movements)
After
much drinking and dancing, Xizai can no longer suppress his frustrations
and hits the drum with rage.
Scene
6 “End of the Feast”
After
the emotional outpour, Xizai sits, dejected. His guests bid him farewell.
Chen Zhiyong asks Wang Wushan to leave with him. Wang preferring to stay
loyal to Xizai, Chen leaves, dispirited. Han Xizai, lonely, bids farewell
with the drumsticks in his hand while from the adjacent tower at the
corner, music of string instruments can still be heard.
Music:
“The four seasons” (First two movements)
Production
Staff
Producer
Serina CHEN
Artistic
Director
CHEN, Mei-o
Performance
Unit
Han Tang Yuefu
Director
David Jiang
Script
Writer
Wang Ren-jie
Choreography
Chen Mei-O / HSIAO Ho-wen
Background
music
Chen
Mei-O
Wardrobe,
Staging
Yip Kam Tim
Lighting
Designer
Lin Keh-ua
Stage
Manager
Vincent W.F.KUO / Arronax
Huang
Choreography
Chen Mei-O / HSIAO Ho-wen
Rehearsal
Director
HSIAO Ho-wen
Technical
Director
SI, Chien-hua
Administrative
Supervisor
CHEN Shou-chun
Executive
Producer
CHEN Lun-chieh / CHANG, Hui-yin
Project
Manager
YEN
Ya-ting
Photograhper
LIU, Chen-hsiang / HO, Kuo-huei / Nathalie
Falgarone
Translator
Ki-Che
Angela Leung / Joan Stanley-Baker
‾
Le Jardin
des Delices
‾
Romance
of Lychee Mirror
‾
Lirenxing
( Beauties at Stroll )
‾
Yangexing (
Summptous Feasting Song )
|
