An opera featuring Hakka folk songs will be performed at the Longgang Cultural Center Theater on Jan. 14.

    Performed by the Meizhou Folk Song Troupe, the opera “Bride Waiting for Her Husband” is a tragic story about a Hakka woman. Her husband left her to join the army on their wedding night and was soon reported dead. She went through many difficulties to support the family and deal with a local bandit. Just when she married again and started a new life, her “dead” husband returned with a lot of money and wanted to divorce her. The local bandit also showed up, putting the woman and her two husbands to death.

    Hakka folk song is the oral literature of the Hakkas, rich with Hakka dialect and idyllic characteristics. It has become an independent branch of folk singing in China.

    The Hakka folk song in Meizhou is mainly expressed by using traditional techniques as well as puns, overlapping and other techniques. It is basically in a “seven-character and four-sentence” style. The first, second and fourth sentences of each folk song rhyme. Singers can make up their songs according to practical situations and express their feelings through different tones.

    There are more than 100 tones, including high, long, stable and fluent. In all Hakka folk songs, love songs account for a great portion.

    Established in 1958, the troupe is one of the best folk song theatrical troupes in China and audiences have included Chinese leaders Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Zhu De and Ye Jianying.

    Time: 8 p.m., Jan. 14

    Ticket: 80-480 yuan

    Reservations: 8955-8888

    Venue: Longgang Cultlural Center Theater, eastside of Longcheng Square, Longgang Central District, Longgang (龙岗区龙岗中心区龙城广场东侧 龙岗文化中心大剧院)

    Buses: 329, 365, 380, 654, 812, 862, 866, 869, 901, 351, 353, 668, 811, 818, 839, 868, 919, 983B, 986, K651

    Metro: Long Cheng Guang Chang Station (Longcheng Square Station 龙城广场站)

    (Wang Yuanyuan)