Traditional Chinese theatre comes to Dundee

Published On Mon 21 Sep 2015 by Grant Hill

The University of Dundee will this week give people in the city a rare chance to see traditional Chinese theatre forms live.

‘A Showcase of Chinese Opera , Music and Dance’, performed by the Shanghai Theatre Academy, takes place at the Whitehall Theatre on Friday, 25^th September. The performance will be preceded by a public lecture on Chinese and Beijing Opera at the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill, by Professor Ruru Li from the University of Leeds.

Both events have been organised in association with the Confucius Institute at the University of Aberdeen as part of Confucius Week.

Professor Li is an expert on traditional Chinese opera and theatre. She will be exploring the highly-stylised singing, speaking, dance-acting, combat and exquisite stage conventions of Chinese theatres and asking how these traditions can stand up to the demands of the fast-changing world and the pressure of new technologies.

The performance by the Shanghai Theatre Academy will showcase traditional Chinese dance, music and opera encapsulating Beijing Opera, Kunju Opera and folk music, all of which are important forms of Chinese traditional culture.

Kunqu Opera has been described by UNESCO as ‘a masterpiece of the unwritten and intangible heritage of humanity’. As well as colourfully costumed, exciting and moving operatic performances one performance includes a martial arts scene, the ‘Kungfu of Chairs’, to depict a fight sequence. The performance is only one of four from the troupe in the UK.

Event organiser Marion Sporing, a Senior Lecturer in Languages at the University of Dundee, said, “This is a rare opportunity to experience the wonderful traditions of Chinese opera, a unique and culturally vital tradition. With spectacular choreographed fight and dance scenes, sumptuously colourful costumes and beautiful folk songs, this performance, the first in the UK by the group, will be an audial and visual treat for all who attend.”

‘Shanghai Theatre Academy: Showcase of Chinese Opera Music and Dance’ takes place at the Whitehall Theatre at 7.30pm on Friday, 25th September. Tickets can be booked at www.dundeebox.co.uk.

The public lecture, ‘Kunju & Jingju: Breathing New Life into the Tradition’ takes place at the Dalhousie Building from 4.30pm on the same day.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk