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The school of traditional opera art
In 1999, National Taiwan College of Performing Arts founded “Taiwan Peking and Kunqu Opera Troupe”. It is currently the only Chinese opera school in Taiwan which cultivates the talents of traditional opera performance, writing, directing and design. The aim of the troupe is to cultivate, promote and pass on Kunqu Opera art and actively construct professional Kunqu Opera troupe with the characteristics of Taiwan in order to develop the actors of the next generation who master both Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. To pass on current Kunqu Opera actors’ performing skills, the school transforms the students from basic to advanced level to be professional actors by systematic courses. The senior actors instruct their rich experience to young students; thus, Kunqu Opera can be rooted and continued in Taiwan.
It cultivates outstanding and professional Chinese opera talents by diverse courses. |
The school cultivates Chinese opera talents from elementary school
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Reconstruction of Chinese opera to catch up with the time and trend
According to Director Su-Qiong Ou, the foundation of the troupe has not been long. However, in order to present the art of Kunqu Opera to the young people, they should change. By diversity and innovation, they intend to reconstruct traditional Chinese opera and create attractive Chinese opera by stages, music effect and multimedia technology. Thus, the traditional opera becomes more approachable and it meets the young people’s thinking. Young generation will appreciate and enjoy the art of traditional opera. The troupe has been attempting the change from the foundation in the past decade. Well-known writer in Taiwan, Mr. Hsien-Yung Pai, not only masters literature, but also is the representative of Kunqu Opera. He is devoted to the protection and promotion of Kunqu Opera. He argued that Kunqu Opera should avoid the traditional middle-aged actors since it cannot properly present the love stories in Kunqu Opera. Thus, young actors will introduce new experience for the audiences. New performance will draw the attention of young people. The “Peony Pavilion Youth Version” adapted by Hsien-Yung Pai is a successful example. He worked with professional Kunqu Opera group in Taiwan and created the play by calligraphy, painting, costume design, lighting design, adapted scripts and originality. He fully integrated the resources to create the most remarkable The “Peony Pavilion Youth Version” which was performed around the world and it was extremely successful Ancient Kunqu Opera culture and singing thus became part of life and cultural literacy of young people of the new generation.
Hosted and produced by well known writer Hsien-Yung Pai |
It attracts the young people by modern art |
Average age of the actors of the “Peony Pavilion Youth Version” is 20 |
The play is classical and modern
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“New Kunqu Opera” created by Cross-Strait exchange of art and culture
After the foundation, Taiwan Peking and Kunqu Opera Troupe frequently invited the Chinese masters of Kungu Opera troupes to Taiwan for the instruction and promotion of Kunqu Opera. Moreover, it invited Chinese Kunqu Opera troupes to perform in Taiwan. Cross-strait exchange resulted in new vision and impact on the troupe and strengthened the performance of the play. According to Director Su-Qiong Ou, in recent years, cross-strait exchange increases and the playwrights, directors, actors and producers cooperated with each other and formed the production teams. For instance, the troupe has introduced large-scale epic Kunqu Opera “Li Hsiang Jun”. It was the second new Kunqu Opera after “Lady Meng Jiang”. The troupe invited Chao-Huan Tsung of Beijing Kunqu Opera troupe to be the director and the first-class composer in China, Chin Chou to produce the music. Moreover, there were the actors, lighting, sound, and stage design of modern theatre in Taiwan. It was successful cross-strait collaboration. The audiences experienced brand-new visual and sound effects of traditional opera.
New Kunqu Opera “Li Hsiang Jun”
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New Kunqu Opera “Lady Meng Jiang” |
Interviewee:Su-Qiong Ou, Director of Taiwan Peking and Kunqu Opera Troupe.November 30,2020.
Source of Photos:
Commonwealth Magazinehttps://www.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5082163
Daily headlineshttps://kknews.cc/culture/maj4me6.html
Performing Arts Critichttps://pareviews.ncafroc.org.tw/?p=8741