Kunqu opera “The Peony Pavilion,” adapted by Taiwanese writer Pai Hsien-yung, will be staged at Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center this weekend.

    “The Peony Pavilion” is a play written by Tang Xianzu and was first performed in 1598. Pai’s adaptation sought to inject new life into classical operas and premiered in 2004. He hopes his rendition will attract a new generation of young people to the centuries-old art of Kunqu.

    “The Peony Pavilion” focuses on the love story between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei. When Du takes a walk in the garden, she falls asleep. In her dream, she encounters a young scholar, identified later in the play as Liu, whom in real life she has never met. Liu’s bold advances start a flaming romance between the two, and it flourishes rapidly. Du’s dream is interrupted by a flower petal falling on her. She, however, becomes preoccupied with her dream affair and her lovesickness quickly consumes her. Unable to recover from her fixation, Du wastes away and dies.

    The ruler of the underworld adjudicates that a marriage between Du and Liu is predestined, and Du ought to return to the earthly world. Du appears in Liu’s dreams. He now inhabits the same garden where Du had her fatal dream.

    Once recognizing that the deceased Du is the woman who appears in his dreams, Liu agrees to exhume her upon her request and Du is brought back to life. When Liu visits Du’s family, however, Liu is imprisoned as a grave robber and an impostor. Liu narrowly escapes death by torture thanks to the arrival of the results of the imperial examination, in which Liu has topped the list.

    Time: 7:30 p.m., Nov. 29

    Tickets: 80-680 yuan

    Reservation: 400-185-8666

    Venue: Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center, 2106 Nanshan Boulevard (南山大道2106号南山文体中心)

    Metro: Luobao Line, Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit D

    (SD News)