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'I Beijing Opera' shows glimpse of Chinese classic

When one hears the word “opera”, the usual opera tropes come to mind — period drama, an enclosed opera house and a soulful aria or two.

Jossa Lukman (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, September 21, 2018

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'I Beijing Opera' shows glimpse of Chinese classic Chinese tales: I Beijing Opera showcases Journey to the West represented by the character of Sun Wukong. The show, which was brought in by Meikarta and Lippo Group, was staged at Lippo Mall Kemang in South Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/David Caessarre)

The art of the Peking opera serves up an interesting change for those looking for something different yet no less theatrical.

First surfacing in the late 18thcentury, the Peking opera combines music, vocals, miming, dance and acrobatics into a single package that is quintessentially Chinese.

While the Peking opera enjoys much success in its native China, efforts have been made to introduce the art form to other nations, including Indonesia, through I Beijing Opera by the Lanxin Opera Troupe.

Led by renowned Peking opera artist Chu Lanlan, the troupe was specifically brought in from Beijing to Jakarta to showcase a brief yet nonetheless alluring performance of what was China’s most popular form of entertainment during its heyday at Lippo Mall Kemang in South Jakarta on Sunday night.

The opera opened with a solo performance from Lanlan singing “Live Happily Ever After”, a poem of love, faithfulness and beauty from the Book of Songs, the oldest collection of Chinese poetry that dates back to 11thcentury BC.

Cultural heritage: I Beijing Opera tells the story of Hua Mulan, the warrior girl who took her father's place in the army to save her nation from invaders.
Cultural heritage: I Beijing Opera tells the story of Hua Mulan, the warrior girl who took her father's place in the army to save her nation from invaders. (The Jakarta Post/David Caessarre)

The second performance tells the story of Hua Mulan, the legendary Chinese warrior who took her elderly father’s place in the army to defend her country from invaders.

While Hua Mulan is popularized by the Disney’s version that has become a franchise on its own, I Beijing Opera presented a classical interpretation of the figure — complete with extravagant costume and makeup that so defines the art of Peking opera.

After a brief video interlude on the history of Peking opera, the performance continued with a cheerful rendition of “Antiphonal Song of Flowers” and followed by a concise adaptation of The Four Great Classical Novels of China.

The concise scenes opened with Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a 14thcentury novel set in the Three Kingdoms period in China at the end of the Han dynasty in 169 AD.

One of the highlights in the presentation was one scene depicting Journey to the West, represented by the character of Sun Wukong — also known as the Monkey King — masterfully twirling his staff in what was equal parts theatrical acrobatics and martial arts.

After another short video interlude on the Lanxin Opera Troupe, the performance continued with Luo Shen Fu (Goddess of the River Luo) by Lanlan, featuring Indonesian dancers moving gracefully across the stage.

Center stage: Chun Lanlan presents the tale of Luo Shen Fu (Goddess of the River Luo) with Indonesian dancers.
Center stage: Chun Lanlan presents the tale of Luo Shen Fu (Goddess of the River Luo) with Indonesian dancers. (The Jakarta Post/David Caessarre)

According to Lanlan, the legend behind the story dates back to the Three Kingdoms period where it was created by Cao Zhi, the third son of the warlord Cao Cao, and that the performance symbolizes the “very harmonious” relationship between China and Indonesia.

The penultimate piece of the night was a performance combining “A Beauty With an Umbrella” with the traditional Batak song “Sing Sing So”, a specially created rendition signifying an even closer mix of Indonesia and China.

While the approximately one-hour opera is relatively short, the troupe managed to wow the audience with its presentation, going beyond the words as the opera was fully in Mandarin with small subtitles on the screen for clarity.

Lanlan believed her troupe’s presentation could further broadcast Chinese culture to the world and was pleased the performance was done in a mall so that more people could observe.

“The first objective is a cultural exchange between China and Indonesia, the second is to showcase the I Beijing Opera, and the third is to strengthen ties between the two countries,” Lanlan said through the use of an interpreter.

“Like tonight’s theme of ‘living happily ever after’, we want to portray peace and respect between Indonesia and China.”

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