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The Chinese Zhejiang Wu Opera will present “The Legend of the White Snake” in Vienna and only in Debrecen in Hungary.
As part of a special European cultural collaboration, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Company will come to Debrecen in early April. “The Legend of the White Snake”, a traditional Chinese opera, will be performed in Debrecen on the 1st and 2nd of April at the Csokonai Theatre, the only venue in Hungary to do so. After the Debrecen premiere, the company will travel to Vienna, where the production will also be performed.
The Wu opera
Wu opera, also known as Jinhua opera, has a history of more than 500 years. It takes its name from Wuzhu, the former name of Jinhua. Combining six different vocal styles, Wu opera is a genre of folk origin, with stories focused on everyday life, music clear and resonant, performance lively and emotional, and costumes bright and eye-catching.
“The Legend of the White Snake“
The traditional opera is based on a tale from Chinese folklore. Bai Suzhen, the White Snake, has been practising his magical powers and taking human form for thousands of years. Immortal but lonely, he longs to live among mortals. On one occasion, he arrives in Hangzhou with the green snake, where he meets Xu Xian, an assistant at a herb shop on the shores of Lake West. They immediately fall in love and get married.
However, the monk Fahai from the Jinshan temple realises that the wife’s human form hides snakes and decides to separate the couple. The white snake’s true form is revealed on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, which scares Xu Xian to death. Bai Suzhen steals the celestial herb from Kunlun Mountain to revive Xu Xian; then floods Jinshan Temple to get her husband back; and finally, after much tribulation, they meet again at the Broken Bridge of the West Lake. Bai Suzhen’s perseverance and love finally touches Xu’s heart, and the story has a happy ending.
In the opera, a refined and melodious singing style, versatility, lyrical and martial elements are complemented by each other. Powerful gongs and drums create a dynamic atmosphere. Modern art forms are also incorporated into the performance. For example, the broken bridge scene is a lyrical excerpt with martial elements, combining serious drama with comic effects.
Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre (Zhejiang Wu Opera Company)
The Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Center, formerly Zhejiang Wu Opera Company, was founded in 1956. Over the decades, the company has built up a considerable reputation.
Their outstanding performance, The Broken Bridge, won the title of “The Most Outstanding Bridge of All Time”. Detailed information and tickets are available on the website of Csokonai National Theatre.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
