![]() ![]() ![]() “Those 4,000 could be my new fans, and when I write more operas like this in future, that are not so traditional, my wish is that they will come again. With a history of over 600 years, it is referred to as the mother of traditional Chinese operas. “We’ve successfully captured a new audience of 4,000,” he says of the four sellout shows. Li hopes that his latest production will attract a younger, more up-to-date crowd that probably wouldn’t be spending Friday night at a traditional opera house. His philanthropic gesture saved the 1000-seat cultural landmark where many of the city’s most prominent opera performers honed their craft. ![]() He signed a four-year lease and paid the monthly rental of $125,000 out of his own pocket. When the city’s famed Sunbeam Theater, which in its decades-long history had become synonymous with Cantonese opera in Hong Kong, was forced to close in 2012 due to a substantial rent increase, Li stepped in. Performers don elaborate costumes and bold makeup characterized by contrasting colors and dark lines, their every movement and expression dramatic. The UNESCO-recognized art form has its origins in the Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of Southern China, and is known for its incorporation of distinctive falsetto-style singing and martial arts routines. Li loved Cantonese opera growing up, regularly attending performances and knowing many of the more famous songs by heart. “He wants to change the country, just like Mao,” Li says. Li says Trump, in a way, wants to bring his own shakeup to the U.S. Trump, Li points out, is 72 years old-the same age as Mao when he started China’s Cultural Revolution in 1966. It’s meant to underscore what Li sees as the similarities between the president and the former Chinese leader, despite their positions at opposite ends of the political spectrum. But that casting decision wasn’t just for laughs. He goes crazy for it.”Īdding to the fun, lead actor Lung Koon-tin plays three of the main characters-Trump, Trump’s twin brother, and Mao. He suggests Kim partners with one of his favorite brands, Coca-Cola, and propose infusing the soft drink with ginseng,” Li says. “There’s one special scene during which Trump gives business advice to Kim, telling him he has a brilliant idea that will make him rich and famous. The script makes fun of the president’s penchant for fast food and his eagerness to talk up his deal-making abilities whenever the opportunity may arise. “Politics can’t make people laugh,” he says, attired in a vivid black and gold ensemble that wouldn’t look out of place on the operatic stage itself.īut what can, he adds, are Trump’s quirks and theatrics. Through a Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree stage tour, visitors can also get a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation process of a street opera. Despite these allusions, Li maintains the show isn’t political in nature. The Chinese Opera Roving Exhibition is on until end-Aug, and it is filled with informative panels at the on-site traditional art exhibition. ![]()
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