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19
Thu
Dec
2019
19:30 |
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$480, $380, $280, $180 |
|
Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall |
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Chinese Opera
A Showcase of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Cantonese Opera Masters
A Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Project
Presenter:
Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province
Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region
Organiser:
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Why Haven’t Thou Returned?
Mrs Wen, née Fang, intends to marry her son Pingsheng to her niece Keqing. To her dismay, she finds out that he has secretly married Zhao Pinniang, who has been cut off from her own family. Though unhappy about the marriage, Mrs Wen has no choice but to accept it. Keqing's elder brother, Sanlang, covets the beautiful Pinniang, and conspires with Keqing to bribe the doctor to give false diagnosis that Pinniang has contracted a terminal disease. This gives Mrs Wen the excuse to force the couple to separate. Pingsheng secretly visits his sick wife, making Mrs Wen even more resentful of Pinniang. When Pingsheng is off to the battlefield to fight the enemies, Mrs Wen forces Pinniang to divorce her husband and sends her away with Chuntao the maid. Pingsheng returns home from the battle with victory, and is shocked to learn that Pinniang has died. He refuses to marry Keqing and leaves home in devastation and grief…
Visiting His Sick Wife
The doctor, having been bribed, lies that Pinniang has contracted tuberculosis. Immediately Mrs Wen forces her to move elsewhere, and the helpless couple separates in tears.
Loong Koon-tin (HK), Zeng Hui (MO), Chan Hung-chun (HK), Xie Weixin (GD)
Comforting His Wife
After Pinniang has moved out, Sanlang visits her at night and is driven away for his indecent words. Pinniang is delighted to see Pingsheng coming to her consolation. Unfortunately, as the couple pours their hearts out, Mrs Wen arrives. She reprimands Pingsheng and makes him go home with her.
Ding Fan (GD), Jiang Wenduan (GD), Chan Hung-chun (HK), Sun Kim-long (HK), Lam Po-chu (HK)
Bidding Farewell to His Mother
Sanlang advises Mrs Wen to convince Pingsheng to divorce his wife. Since his return from the barracks, Mrs Wen has been urging Pingsheng for a divorce. She threatens to kill herself if he does not agree, leaving Pingsheng no choice but to follow her wish, on condition that his mother would let him wait until he returns from the battle in triumph. He is secretly wishing to die on the battlefield so as not to face the troubles at home.
Law Ka-ying (HK), Chan Hung-chun (HK), Sun Kim-long (HK)
Bidding Farewell to His Wife
On the eve of Pingsheng's departure to the war, Pinniang prepares wine for him and expresses her sadness and unwillingness to see him leave. Pingsheng does not have the heart to divorce his beloved.
Ng Chin-fung (HK), Nam Fung (HK), Lam Po-chu (HK)
Forcing out Her Daughter-in-Law
After Pingsheng has gone off to the battle, Mrs Wen tells Pinniang about the divorce. She gives her some gold and sends her away with the maid.
Yuen Siu-fai (HK), Chan Wing-yee (HK), Lam Po-chu (HK)
The Enduring War
Pingsheng is fighting desperately at the battlefront. Wishing to be killed, he is all in, so much so that he even braves the enemy army alone. But ironically, his valiance forces the enemies to retreat. He laments that heaven is not granting him his wish and lets him live.
Huang Chunqiang (GD), Yu Long (GD), Li Jie (GD)
Back to Her Maternal Home
Pinniang is in distress and has nowhere to go. Fortunately, her father comes to her rescue and arranges her a place to live.
Cheng Wing-mui (HK), Lui Hung-kwong (HK), Lam Po-chu (HK)
Trying to Find His Wife
Pingsheng returns home in victory. A big banquet is held in his honour but his wife is nowhere to be found. He asks for her whereabouts and finds out that she was driven away from home, and he is supposed to marry Keqing. Mad with rage, Pingsheng storms out to look for his wife.
Loong Koon-tin (HK), Chan Hung-chun (HK), Sun Kim-long (HK), Ko Lai (HK)
Mourning by the Grave
On being told that Pinniang is dead, Pingsheng breaks down in tears by her grave. Watching all these from behind the tombstone, Pinniang can no longer withhold herself and comes out to tell him the truth. Mrs Wen arrives, seeing the grave and hearing Pingsheng speak his mind, she regrets for what she has done to Pinniang. Sanlang also confesses his scheming act with the doctor and confirms that Pinniang is in fact not gravely ill. The couple gets the blessing from Mrs Wen for their marriage and they can be together again.
Peng Chiquan (MO), Cheng Wing-mui (HK), Chan Hung-chun (HK), Lui Hung-kwong (HK), Sun Kim-long (HK), Ko Lai (HK), Lam Po-chu (HK)
The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Information provided by the performing group.
TICKETING
DATE VENUE PRICE 19.12.2019 (Thu)
19:30
19:30
Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall
$480, $380, $280, $180