A 500-year-old opera performed by local citizens in Shenzhen, plus two other performances – with video clips
Across the street where I am staying in Shenzhen, citizens of a local neighborhood put on a performance for the public. These are retirees, employees, mothers, fathers, housewives, workers, who have all volunteered their time, effort and own money for a few minutes of artistic expression in front of a modest-sized audience.
They are celebrating the Autumn Festival, which falls in September. Moon cakes are the social currency for gifts. They are also celebrating China National Day, on 1 October, when the citizens were liberated from 110 years of Western and later Japanese imperial-colonial rape and plunder.
Thanks to fellow China Writers’ Group members Quan Le (Kwan’s Korner – SEEK TRUTH FROM FACTS FOUNDATION) and Wei Ling Chua (Amazon.com: Wei Ling Chua: books, biography, latest update) for all this wonderful background information!
This video showcases the local version of “The Peony Pavilion”, a romantic play written in 1598 by Tang Xianzu (1550-1616), “the Chinese Shakespeare”. The music is a collective endeavor as a Kunqu Opera creation.
The name of this song is梁山伯与祝英台 （Butterfly Lover）, The Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto, along with the Yellow River Piano Concerto, is one of the most famous Chinese works of orchestral music. It is an adaptation of an ancient legend, the Butterfly Lovers. Written for a Western-style orchestra, it features a solo violin played using some Chinese techniques. Wikipedia Composers: He Zhanhao, Chen Gang Composed: 1959 full song: https://youtube.com/watch?v=C1yfPmblWgw&feature=shared
梁山伯与祝英台 is a Love Story. The short name is 梁祝 （both surname) the first surname is the man, the latter is the woman. https://youtu.be/oYswGBlCXHI?feature=shared
Here the back ground and history of The Legend of Butterfly Lovers 梁山伯与祝英台 story https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A2%81%E5%B1%B1%E4%BC%AF%E8%88%87%E7%A5%9D%E8%8B%B1%E5%8F%B0
In English https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Lovers
Butterfly Lovers
Another performance that looks like it’s from a Cultural Revolution opera
This last one is a contemporary piece
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