- Date 2015.10.09
- Venue National Theater
The Painting of 18 Lohans
Guo Guang Opera Company
Jury’s Comments for the Annual Shortlist Award
Re-inventing the classical form, this work is magnificent, refined, charming and eternal. Through the process of authenticating an ancient painting, the narrative straightforwardly juxtaposed truth and hypocrisy, true nature and fame and wealth, philistinism and artistic value. The plot captured the audience’s attention with its layered structure, the interlaced calm and tensional moments, and the use of microcosm to reflect the macrocosm. Embedded in the story was an entanglement of affection and objects. In mending the ancient painting, each brushstroke carried the next, and the ink delivered mutual affection. An undercurrent of mundane desire ran between the nun and her disciple.
With the most subtly free-flowing, emotionally charged “delicate changes in facial and vocal expression,” The Painting of 18 Lohans introduced a new sensibility that merged feelings and objects in the aesthetics of contemporary Chinese opera. In terms of the delivery of performance, it embodied the essence of the genre, and in terms of literary achievement, its topic was noble, the lyrics brilliant, and the sentiment enduring. Unifying the traditional and the contemporary, The Painting of 18 Lohans was as perfect as nature could be as it continued the classical taste and collided with the modern minds.
Comments on the Finalists
Re-inventing the classical form, this work is magnificent, refined, charming and eternal. Through the process of authenticating an ancient painting, the narrative straightforwardly juxtaposed truth and hypocrisy, true nature and fame and wealth, philistinism and artistic value. The plot captured the audience’s attention with its layered structure, the interlaced calm and tensional moments, and the use of the microcosm to reflect on the macrocosm. Embedded in the story was an entanglement of affection and objects. In mending the ancient painting, each brushstroke carried the next, and the ink delivered mutual affection. An undercurrent of mundane desire ran between the nun and her disciple. With the most subtly free-flowing, emotionally charged “delicate changes in facial and vocal expression, The Painting of 18 Lohans introduced a new sensibility that merged feelings and objects in the aesthetics of contemporary Chinese opera. In terms of the delivery of performance, it embodied the essence of the genre, and in terms of literary achievement, its topic was noble, the lyrics brilliant, and the sentiment enduring. Unifying the traditional and the contemporary, The Painting of 18 Lohans was as perfect as nature could be as it continued the classical taste and collided with the modern minds. (Commentator/ CHI Hui-Ling)
Artwork Introduction
The Painting of 18 Lohans is not a love story and does not deal with religious enlightenment. With its many twists and turns, it explores the true meaning of art and the relationship between a work of art and its creator. This metaphysical opera entertains the notion that even a forgery is endowed with the true feeling of its creator. Is it true that only original works have artistic value? A forgery made with the sincere feeling of the copyist is a work with its own life. This opera is rich in the allegorical meaning of life without being preachy. Through the process of refurbishing, patching up, and reproducing an ancient painting, it allows the audience to ponder on the subtle relationship between art and humanity.
About the Artist
Since its establishment in 1995, GuoGuang Opera Company has devoted itself to infusing a modern consciousness in traditional Chinese Opera. “Modernization” and “refinement” are two principles for the creation of new operas. With diversified themes and skillful presentation, a novel of Eileen Chang and a calligraphic masterpiece of Wang Xi-chi were transformed into dramatic art. In addition to many traditional Chinese operas and Kunqu operas, the representative works of GuoGuang Opera Company include many newly created Chinese operas, including Journey through Hell, Wang Shi-fong, Three Persons and Two Lamps, The Golden Cangue, Hu Xue-yen, Sunlight after Snowfall, Fox Tales, Meng Xiao-Dong, One Hundred Years on Stage, Cleopatra and Her Fools, Flowing Sleeves and Rouge, Tan Chun, Young Emperor Kanxi and Crafty Regent Aobai and The Painting of 18 Lohans, all of which have won acclaim in cultural circles and in the hearts of young audiences; two dramas were honored with the Golden Bell Award and the Taishin Arts Award. Director Lee Shiao-ping, Artistic Director Wang An-chi, and Actress Wei Hai-min were given the National Award for Arts for their contributions to GuoGuang’s new operas. Actor Tang Wen-hua won the Taipei Culture Award and the SGI Culture Award in Japan. Actor Wen Yu-hang won the Golden Melody Award and the Globe Chinese Culture & Arts Award. GuoGuang Opera Company has been invited to perform in many countries from around the world, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong.
