A Cantonese opera and musical show featuring Lady Xian, a heroine who lived through three ancient Chinese dynasties, premiered at the Friendship Theater in Guangzhou on January 5th, 2020. Hundreds of Cantonese opera fans watched the performance, cheering and giving thunderous rounds of applause after the show.

A stage photo of the show ‘Lady Xian’ [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]

The show ‘Lady Xian’ is a new take on traditional Cantonese opera, incorporating musical performances, Hong Kong style comedy and other means of artistic expression such as dance, modern drama and film.

One member of the audience told our reporter that the show was both funny and touching, and that the story was intriguing, enjoying it from the beginning to the end. “The show was a great success. It is also a good way for people to learn more about Lady Xian.”

A stage photo of the show ‘Lady Xian’ [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]

The show is directed by Clifton Ko Chi-Sum, a Hong Kong film director and features famous Cantonese opera performer Su Chunmei as the protagonist Lady Xian. Su Chunmei from the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Theatre is one of the successors of the celebrated Cantonese opera artist Hung Sin-nui and a winner of the 28th China Theatre Plum Blossom Awards, China’s top award for drama.

Another audience member said that she had travelled a long way to watch the show out of admiration for Su Chunmei, who she thought did an amazing job in playing Lady Xian at different ages.

The show is a production from the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Theatre and Su Chunmei Studio. A dozen outstanding artists from both Hong Kong and Macao also contributed greatly to the show, including Hong Kong film producer, playwright, director and actor Raymond Wong Pak-ming.

Who was Lady Xian?

Lady Xian is the most acclaimed, legendary politician and militarist in the Lingnan (South China) area in ancient China. All her life, she promoted the development of the economy, of culture, science, technology and trade with countries along the ancient Maritime Silk Road in southeast Asia. She quelled civil disturbances and suppressed rebellions in the Lingnan area, maintaining regional stability, peace and and prosperity.

Because of her eminent contributions, Lady Xian was honored by the imperial court many times and had a dozen honorary titles, such as the Duchess of the Qiao State. She is still highly admired and respected by the people from the Lingnan area as the “Saintly Mother of Lingnan”. Former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai called her ‘the First Heroine of China’, and former Chinese President Jiang Zemin praised her as ‘the role model that later generations should learn from forever’.

Note: To be precise, the Lingnan region refers to lands in the south of China’s Southern (Nan) Mountains: Dayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu and Yuecheng. The region covers the modern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan as well as Hong Kong and Macao.

Author: Monica Liu

Editor: Simon Haywood