Modern Version of 'Farewell My Concubine' Produced by Hong Kong Xiqu Centre to Perform in September

Modern Version of 'Wolgeuk' Reflecting the Sentiments of Guangdong Region
Part of Cultural and Human Exchange Cooperation Between Korea and Hong Kong

The Yue opera "Farewell My Concubine," known from the movie of the same name, is coming to domestic audiences.

National Gugak Center_Sichwi Center_Paiwan Byeolhui [Photo by National Gugak Center]

The National Gugak Center announced on the 25th that, co-hosted with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, the Hong Kong Xiqu Centre, located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, will present the Yue opera "Farewell My Concubine (New Version)" on September 20 and 21 at the Umyeondang Hall of the National Gugak Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

This performance marks the first presentation in Korea of the Yue opera "Farewell My Concubine (New Version)" produced since the opening of the Xiqu Centre in 2019. It was planned to promote cultural and human exchange cooperation between Korea and Hong Kong.

"Xiqu" (戱曲, traditional Chinese opera) is a traditional Chinese theater form that has developed slightly differently in each region. Representative examples include Beijing's "Peking Opera" and Guangdong's "Yue Opera."

Yue opera is mainly performed in the Cantonese-speaking regions of China (Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, Macau) and is characterized by the use of Cantonese. Yue opera, which incorporates folk songs and music from the Guangdong region, was recognized and inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009.

The work tells the story of Xiang Yu, who called himself the "Hegemon-King of Western Chu." Xiang Yu realizes he is facing defeat, and his concubine Yu Ji bids farewell before taking her own life with Xiang Yu's sword. Sitting by the Wu River in a troubled state, Xiang Yu hears the voices of the souls of his deceased lover and soldiers urging him to fight until the end.

"Farewell My Concubine" is well known to the public as the movie of the same name starring Hong Kong actor Leslie Cheung and directed by Chen Kaige. This production is a modern adaptation of the original, depicting the love story of the hero Xiang Yu, who is defeated in the Chu-Han Contention and commits suicide, and his lover Yu Ji. It reinterprets the hero's final moments trapped between reality and fantasy and offers a new perspective on traditional art forms.

Naomi Cheng, the artistic director of the Hong Kong Xiqu Centre, serves as the producer, with Yue opera actors Janet Wong, Keith Lai, and Ng Lap Hei among the cast. The performance will be conducted in Cantonese with Korean, English, and Chinese subtitles provided. Tickets can be reserved through the National Gugak Center website or by phone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.