Leading Peking Opera artists to perform in Taipei

TAIPEI - A delegation of leading Peking Opera artists from the mainland will stage a six-day performance in Taipei, according to the organizer of the cultural event on Friday.

The 80-member group, which arrived in Taipei on Thursday, includes well-known artists Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu with the National Peking Opera Co. in Beijing. They will stage seven performances from June 14 to 19 for local drama lovers.

The mainland artists will perform masterpieces such as "Man Jiang Hong," which tells a story of Yue Fei, a hero who fought against invading troops in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and "Farewell My Concubine," a love story based on the legend of ancient hero Xiang Yu and his beloved concubine Yu, said the sponsoring arts company in Taipei.

"Taiwan has many lovers of Peking Opera. And it is like going back home to perform here," said Yu Kuizhi at a press conference on Friday.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first public show of National Peking Opera Company in the island.

"The current diversified cultural environment has an impact on the popularity of traditional dramas," said Yu. "But over the past 20 years, many friends in the island have been our loyal audience."

Chou Tun-rern, general manager of the Taipei arts firm, said Peking Opera performance continued to be important part of cross-Strait exchanges.

With a history of more than 200 years, Peking Opera is one of China's major traditional drama forms. Combining instrumental music, vocal performances, mime, dance and acrobatics, it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010.