- Date 2003-10-16
- Venue Novel Hall, Taipei
The Most Scheming Woman in Dreams of the Red Chamber
National Guo Guang Opera Company
Comments on the Finalist
This well-known story about an extremely scheming woman re-presented the cruel consequences of greed. The storyline was full of malevolence and cruelty, and assigning a qing-yi (the category of sedate ladies in Beijing opera) to play this character was something trickily unforeseen. That not only expanded the presence of a traditional gentle woman to a thorough exploitation of an actor or actress’s talents but also defined the heroine as someone who carried fire in one hand and water in the other. An outstanding text (by Tsao Hsueh-Chin), a suitably adapted script (Chen His-Ting), popular and funny presentation (Li Hsiao-ping ), and sophisticated and appropriate renditions (Wei Hai-Ming and Chen Mei-Lan) obscured other weaker arrangements. The miserable desires that Tsao presented under the guise of Buddhism were expressed in a way to show a new aspect of the play--Tsao’s sympathy for women, especially the heroine.
Artwork Introduction
The reasons why National Guo Guang Opera Company launches this play is as follows:
To re-develop Hai-Ming Wei so as to let local actors of Chinese opera can fully unleash their talents
To present a new performing style. That is to absorb new elements and meanwhile not to depart from the nature of the Chinese opera.
To present a good script and good choice.
To create a new era of Chinese opera by adopting new music, costumes, stage, light coordinated by the young local director, Xiao-Ping Li.
About the Artist
Follow our 2002 production“Journey through Hell”, “The Most Scheming Woman in Dreams of the Red Chamber”enters Taishin Award final list has again evidenced our efforts in improving the opera. It also encourages us to keep on preserving the tradition and injecting new spirits into it. The preservation of traditional art requires long-term commitment and continuous contributions. Taishin Arts Award definitely will help to stimulate the vigorous development of arts and vive the Taishin Arts Award!
Production Team
Production Company： National Guo Guang Opera Company
