The China Center for International Communication Development (CCICD) promoted traditional Liuqin opera here on Tuesday. The theatrical form is one of the country’s first national intangible cultural heritages
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A story of sorrow, a melody of tears—the Liuqin opera Tears over the Land of Heartbreak tells a poignant tale of love and betrayal between Wang Lianjuan, daughter of a county magistrate, and the son of an official family Zhang Qingyun, CCICD introduced in a press release.
Tears of a Broken Heart: A Tale of Love and Betrayal in Traditional Liuqin Opera
The promotion came among series of events named as “Operas in Anhui, Shining Hefei”, officially commenced in Hefei, capital city of Chinese eastern province Anhui, is a grand celebration to mark the 235th anniversary of the historic "Hui Troupes Entering Beijing", which was widely regarded as the origin event of Peking Opera.
According to the press release, the tragedy begins on a Mid-Autumn moonlit night, when Wang and Zhang meet and secretly pledge their love. However, driven by ambition and greed, Zhang later abandons Wang to marry Jiang Suqin, the daughter of a high-ranking minister. Heartbroken and longing for her lover, Wang is discovered to be pregnant by her furious father, Wang Shouli. In a rage, he pushes her into the West Lake and expels her maid, Xiaolin, from their home.
Rescued by a kind fisherwoman, Wang is taken to Suzhou as her adopted daughter. There, she sends a letter to Zhang’s household through a local innkeeper. Instead of showing remorse, Zhang cruelly rejects her and slanders her reputation. Her loyal maid, Xiaolin, who had traveled begging all the way to confront Zhang, is brutally silenced by having her tongue cut out. In the end, consumed by regret and anguish, Wang Lianjuan dies in despair.
This emotional narrative is brought to life through Liuqin opera, also known as the “Lahun Tune”, originated during the mid-Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and was popular in Jiangsu, Shandong, Anhui and Henan provinces.
The opera is accompanied by a flute, erhu (two string fiddle), suona horn (a woodwind instrument), sheng (a kind of reed instrument) and bang drum.
The opera’s lead performer, Liu Lili, a celebrated actress honored with the Chinese Government Award for Culture and Arts—the “Wenhua Performance Award”—and the “27th China Theatre Plum Blossom Award,” has masterfully integrated vocal artistry with stage performance.
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Company Name: International Communication Development (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Simon Shi
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Country: China
Website: www.ccicd.org.cn