2011 April-June - “New Melody from the National Palace Museum” Presents “The Peony Pavilion”
This looks interesting - wish I had Wednesday afternoons free. The shows are from 14:30 to 16:00.
http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/new_02.htm?docno=1010
[quote]Starting from April 6, 2011 to June 22, 2011, every Wednesday afternoon from 2:30 to 4:00, the Wen Hui Tang auditorium will feature a new season of the “New Melody from the NPM,” performed by the Taipei Kunqu Society. The performance is based on a late Ming Dynasty novelist’s Tang Xian Zu’s “The Peony Pavilion” Kunqu Opera. This performance is in conjunction with our special exhibit “Fragrance Fills the Courtyard: Chinese Flower Paintings Through the Ages.”
“The Peony Pavilion” or “The Peony Pavilion Revival” describes the romantic love story between Du Liniang, the daughter of a wealthy family and Liu Mengmei, a scholar. This is a representative work for Tang Xian Zu during the 17th century. It is also a master piece for romantics. Tang Xian Zu was quoted “Completed four dreams (works of Tang Xian Zu that are thematically dream based) in my life and I am most proud of The Peony Pavilion.” Through the romantic love story of Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei, the freedom to love and choose is promoted and the feudal ethical code of the times is being criticized and challenged. In the National Palace Museum collection is a two part copy of “The Peony Pavilion Revival” from 1617 during the 45th year of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty. With the Kunqu opera performance of “The Peony Pavilion” and the exhibit, it is an alternative approach to the appreciation of beauty.
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