Music Theatre
The Dream under the Southern Bough
Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company
“The Four Dreams of Linchuan”
Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company: “The Dream under the Southern Bough”. Luo Chenxue © Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company
Chunyu Fen, a previously successful and rich officer in the Huainan army, has offended his general and is being dismissed. He is drinking under an old pagoda tree. When he becomes drunk, he falls asleep. Two ants appear, taking him into a giant hole in the tree, to have a ride to the great kingdom of the ants. Chunyu Fen is recruited for the bridegroom of the princess in the kingdom and is even promoted as the vice prime minister. He becomes very powerful but behaves recklessly and badly. Finally, he is expelled as a punishment.
“The Dream under the Southern Bough” is one of the lesser known works of the cycle. The Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company are presenting a production directed by the experienced Kunqu player Shen Bin and featuring the company’s youngest talents. This piece has never before been performed as a staged production in the company’s repertoire.
Wei Li as Chunyu Fen
Luo Chenxue as Yao Fang Princess
Kunqu Opera Cast List
Xie Chen, Sun Jinghua, Wang Jinyu, Zhao Lei, Zhu Linyan, Zhou Liya, Xue Lu, Tang Popo, Yuan Shan, Tao Siyu, Tan Xiao, Kan Xin, An Xinyu, Sun Xu, Ni Xuhao, Lin Yan, Zhou Yimin, Zhang Yiyan, Lou Yunxiao, Jia Zhe, Zhou Zhe, Lin Zhi, Shi Zonghao
Directed by Shen Bin
Lighting Design Zhou Zhenping
Costumes Qing Wenbao
Music Gu Zhaolin
Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company
Director Gu Haohao
Vice Director Zhang Yongliang
Stage Director Ding Xiaochun
PR Director & Suǒnà Player Chen Yingwu
Kun Opera Director Shen Kuang / Ni Guang Jin
Performance Coordination Director Gan Chunwei
Administration Sun Yong
Kun Opera & Cultural Researcher Zhou Danyan
Subeditor Qiu Lihua
Kun Opera Chamber
Drum Gao Jun, Li Qi, Wang Yifan
Bamboo Flute Zhang Siwei, Qian Yin, Yang Ziyin
Sheng Wen Weiwei, Zhen Yueqi
Pipa Yang Shengyi
Sanxian Wang Zhihao
Huqin Zhu Min, Zhang Jin, Shen Xiaojun, Chen Yueting
Yangqin Chen Yufang
Bass Ruan Chen Juanjuan
Zheng Bao Danni
Chinese Gong Meng Qiaogen
Cymbals Yu Tianle
Kun Opera Gong Zhang Guoqiang
Stage
Lighting Li Bingchun, Li Jiani, Wu Yueyue
Stage Set Zhang Meng, Zhang Jianshen, Ji Xianyuan, Chen Yang
Sound Zhou Jiawen, Ma Yidong, Luo Yufen
Props Xu Lei, Zhan Yuzhi
Surtitles Zhang Jiawei
Costumes Meng Fanjun, Xu Hongqin, Chen Yu
Head Dresses Bao Xiao, Yang Zhiwen
Make-up Fu Fenglong, Fan Yili