TAIPEI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A newly composed Peking opera about ancient Chinese general Xiang Yu is scheduled to debut in Taipei Saturday and Sunday, retelling the story between him and two women, namely, his favorite concubine Consort Yu and Lyu Zhi, wife of his rival Liu Bang.
Written and directed by Taiwan Peking Opera actor Li Bao-chun, "Xiang Yu and the Two Ladies" keeps the classic part of Xiang Yu bidding farewell to Consort Yu, but "creatively" adds Lyu in between them. The two ladies represent power and love, and Xiang Yu has to choose between them.
"We have added legendary plots in the new opera without contradicting the traditional part of the Peking Opera classic 'Farewell to My Concubine,' to make the new work attractive to both elder and younger generations," said Li.
The opera integrates modern composing skills, dances and multi-media with traditional Peking Opera performances, allows the two women characters to sing together and takes a softer touch on the appearance of Xiang Yu.
Xiang Yu, the self-styled "Hegemon-King of Western Chu," battled for the unification of China with Liu Bang, the eventual founder of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).
