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Amazing China: A Chinese Concert Program Face Changing 《川剧变脸》 Sichuan opera performed by Liu Chunnuan Farewell My Concubine《霸王别姬》 Beijing Opera excerpt performed by TU Linghui Journey to Suzhou《姑苏行》 Little Shepherd《小放牛》 CHENG Shijun on dizi Chinese Acrobatics: Plate Spinning 中国杂技:转碟 ZHANG Rui The Crossroads Inn 《三岔口》 Beijing Opera excerpt performed by LIU Chunnuan and WANG Fei The Drunken Royal Concubine《贵妃醉酒》 Beijing opera excerpt performed by TU Linghui Chinese Acrobatics: Barrel Contortion中国杂技:钻桶 Performed by ZHANG Rui A Ditty from the Yimeng Mountain《沂蒙山小调》 Beautiful Grassland《美丽的草原》 Beautiful Mood《美丽的心情》 ZHANG Hong, mezzo-soprano Uproar in The Dragon’s Palace《闹龙宫》 Beijing Opera Excerpt by LIU Chunnuan, WANG Fei, and TU Linghui Program Notes Face Changing《川剧变脸》 Face Changing (bian lian) is an important aspect of Sichuan Opera, and the precise techniques that are used to change masks in modern Sichuan Opera is a closely guarded secret. The secrets have been passed down within theatre families from generation to generation. In contemporary opera, performers wave their arms and twist their heads, and their painted masks are changed again and again, much to the astonishment and amusement of the audience. Farewell My Concubine《霸王别姬》 The excerpt is set at the end of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). The Emperor loses control of the kingdom, and several leaders emerge from the chaos to proclaim themselves kings. Among them, two contend for supremacy: Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, and Liu Bang, the King of Han. In a crucial battle, Xiang Yu’s troops are ambushed by Liu Bang’s and gradually run out of food. And when the troops hear their native songs sung by the enemy encamped around them, they are convinced that their homeland has been conquered and their countrymen have joined Liu Bang. Foreseeing his failure, Xiang Yu drinks with his favorite concubine Consort Yu for the last time. After performing a sword dance for Xiang Yu, she commits suicide. Struck by grief from losing the battle and Consort Yu, Xiang Yu fights his way to the Wujiang River and kills himself. Journey to Suzhou《姑苏行》 “Journey to Suzhou” is a peaceful, flowing song composed in 1962 by Jiang Xianwei. It brings to mind the beauty and serene atmosphere of ancient Suzhou, a southeastern city in China known for its breathtaking classical gardens. Little Shepherd《小放牛》 Originally a “blowing tunes” style song in Kunqu Opera, this song depicts a lady asking a little shepherd boy for directions. Questions and answers are expressed through song and dance, and this tune has a strong pastoral atmosphere. Later on, renowned dizi (Chinese flute) artist Lu Chunling changed this song further in the 1950s, using his skill on the dizi to vividly show the innocent and lively exchange. The mood is lighthearted, the speech clear and flowing, the song full of expression. “Little Shepherd” fully displays how a high level of skill on the dizi can beautifully decorate a melody. Chinese Acrobatics: Plate Spinning 中国杂技:转碟 Plate spinning is a traditional acrobatic act dating back to the Han Dynasty (206BC220AD). Performer spins and manipulates plates, bowls, or other flat objects on poles, without them falling off. The Crossroads Inn《三岔口》 Jiao Zan, a general of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), who defends Song against the northern Jurchen invaders, is exiled to Sha Men Island. Jiao’s commander orders Ren Tanghui to disguise himself and to protect Jiao secretly. While General Jiao is staying in a small inn at the crossroad, the inn keeper Liu Lihua suspects that Ren Tanghui had come to kill Jiao. They fight in the dark, until they realize that they both are trying to protect the same man. The Drunken Royal Concubine《贵妃醉酒》 It is an anecdote describing a lovers’ quarrel between Lady Yang and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (618-906). Lady Yang has a banquet set up in the Imperial Garden, and then invites the Emperor to join her. But the Emperor has gone to the chamber of another royal concubine. With her heart gnawed by jealousy and anger, Lady Yang drinks by herself until she falls into a stupor. Chinese Acrobatics: Barrel Contortion 中国杂技:钻桶 Barrel contortion is another popular Chinese acrobatic act. Performer moves in and out of a small barrel in various contorting moves. Flexibility is a must to perform well. A Ditty from the Yimeng Mountain《沂蒙山小调》 Lyrics: Everybody likes Yimeng Mountain because it is so pretty: a gentle breeze sweeps over sheep on the green mountain, red sorghum decorates people’s happy life. (Shangdong folksong) Beautiful Grassland《美丽的草原》 Lyrics: The beautiful grasslands are my home. Steeds gallop like colorful clouds. Cows and sheep are like spreading pearls. The shepherd girl’s happy songs reach afar. (Inner Mongolian folksong) Beautiful Mood 《美丽的心情》 Lyrics: Wind sends the doves to the starry sky; the moon shines upon our happy dancing. Let our dreams grow auspicious wings; let beautiful moods follow us everywhere. (Modern art song) Uproar in The Dragon’s Palace《闹龙宫》 Based on one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West, this excerpt tells the story of how the Monkey King Sun Wukong goes to the Dragon’s Palace in the Eastern Sea to borrow a weapon. There, the Dragon King offers him an extremely heavy iron rod called the Golden Cudgel—but only if he can wield it. But the cudgel can change to be any size and shape, and thinking that Wukong wouldn’t be able to use the weapon, the Dragon King is surprised when Wukong easily turns the cudgel into a needle and stores it in his ear. After the Dragon King goes back on his word and tries to get the weapon back, a fierce battle ensues. Wukong finally obtains the Golden Cudgel and returns to Mount Huaguo. About the Performers CHENG Shijun 程世君 teaches Chinese instrumental music at the NACTA, where she earned her master’s degree in 2008. Along with other accomplishments, she has taken part in the performance for CCTV’s New Year Beijing Opera Evening Celebration and accompanied China’s celebrated Beijing Opera artists Li Weikang and Geng Qichang in the Shanghai Spring Festival Beijing Opera Evening Celebration. She has taught dizi (bamboo flute), zhongruan (plucked stringed instrument), and other Chinese music instruments at NACTA since 1994. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Binghamton University. LIU Chunnuan刘春暖 is a well-known Peking Opera actor and the artistic director of the New York Chinese Traditional Art Center, an organization dedicated to promoting Chinese and Chinese-American culture, especially Peking Opera, to the U.S. audience. After graduating from the Shenyang Institute of Arts, Liu joined the Shenyang Peking Opera Theatre in 1996 and performed Peking Opera since. In 2005, he accepted an Appreciation Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. TU Linghui 涂玲慧 is a National Class-one Performer. She has won the 4th Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre and the 1st Wenhua Performance Award with the Gan Operas “The Injustice Done to Dou E” and “The Story of the Wooden Hairpin.” She is a NACTA professor and served as the director of the Operatic Art Education Centre and Continuing Education Department. Tu has also directed Chinese operas, among which two have been awarded Class-one Performance Awards. She is currently a visiting professor of Chinese opera at Binghamton University. WANG Fei 王飞, specializing in playing wusheng (man with martial art skills) characters, has been trained to perform Peking Opera since a very young age. Wang was admitted to Shanxi Theatre Academy in 1995 and studied under famous artists Yun-Chao Chen and Bao-Shan Fu. After graduating in 1999, Wang entered Peking Opera Institution of Shanxi Province and toured France and Belgian as cultural ambassador, performing Peking Opera. He has won many awards in television competitions including 2005 CCTV competition of young Peking Opera performers and 2008 CNTY National competition of young Peking Opera performers. Professor ZHANG Hong 张泓 holds a Master’s de gree in Voice Performance and is an internationally acclaimed singer and award-winning educator. She has been an active soloist at many concerts and has been given numerous lectures, recitals, and workshops on Chinese music in the US and abroad. The places where she performed and presented include the United Nations, the University of Michigan, University of Virginia, NYU, Purdue, Portland State University, University of Toronto in Canada, as well as Zhejiang University and Nankai University in China. Zhang is currently a faculty member of Chinese and associate faculty member of Music at Binghamton University. Her students have won many awards in international competitions. Zhang has also coauthored Chinese through Song (SUNY Press) and Cultural Chinese: Readings in Art, Literature, and History (Georgetown University Press). ZHANG Rui 张瑞 started her formal training in Chinese acrobatics at a very young age. Later, she became the principal performer for the Heilongjiang Acrobatic Troupe, one of China’s most respected acrobatic groups. With the troupe, she began touring different countries, including Japan, Russia, Canada, and the U.S. Her performance has been well-received and won her many awards. Since relocating to the U.S. in 2001, Zhang has been devoted to promoting Chinese performing arts. She is currently a member of the New York Chinese Traditional Art Center.