Lovers of culture and new discoveries are invited to explore the rich and vibrant world of Chinese opera through a unique program celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and France and the SinoFrench Year of Cultural Tourism!
The program features four operas from different regions of China, including "L'orphelin de la famille Zhao" (The Orphan of the Zhao Family), a masterpiece of Peking opera and the first Chinese play introduced to France in the 18th century, adapted by Voltaire, "Le lauréat Zhang Xie" (Ou opera), "L'histoire de la jupe rouge" (Min opera) and "La romance de Liang Shanbo et Zhu Yingtai" (Chao opera). These shows, surtitled in French, will enable French audiences to immerse themselves in the moving and captivating tales of ancient China.
At the same time, the festival offers a variety of activities at the China Cultural Center. An exhibition entitled"Splendor of Classical Chinese Theater" offers visitors an immersion in traditional stage art, while another exhibition,"Costume Chatoyance", showcases the richness of opera costumes, open to the public free of charge without reservation.
Film buffs can also enjoy screenings of classic operas such as "The Monkey King" and "The Legend of the White Snake", with French subtitles and available by reservation.
Thematic conferences, led by experts, will enrich the experience by exploring artistic and historical aspects of Chinese opera. Among them, the conference "Exploring the beauty of Peking opera", scheduled for November 6, offers an in-depth approach to this art form.
The festival will close on November 10 with an awards ceremony, celebrating intercultural exchange and the transmission of Chinese traditions. Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to discoverChinese opera in Paris, an artistic treasure that continues to captivate audiences the world over.
Detailed festival program :
The Zhao Family Orphan, Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 8pm
During the Spring and Autumn period, the noble Zhao family of the Kingdom of Jin fell victim to a plot by the treacherous minister Tu Angu, and all but one of its members were exterminated. Cheng Ying, a doctor and family friend, sacrificed his own son to Tu Angu to save the last descendant of the Zhao family. As an adult, he will avenge his family's death.
Winner Zhang Xie, Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 8 p.m.
The scholar Zhang Xie, on his way to the capital to take the imperial examinations, is attacked by brigands. Treated by a poor girl, he decides to marry her, but regrets his decision after passing his exams with flying colors. Zhang Xie, who now holds an official position, does not dare recognize his wife who has come to join him. On the way to a provincial post, he accidentally wounds her with scissors. Later, the young woman is adopted by Army Minister Wang Deyong. Zhang Xie and his wife are reunited, he acknowledges his mistakes, repents and the couple finally reconcile.
The story of the red skirt, Friday November 8, 2024 at 8pm
Wang Chenglong, an inveterate gambler, loses everything he has, including one of his wife Liu's red skirts. He throws himself into the Minjiang River, but is rescued from the waters and carried away to the capital Chang'an. Believing her husband drowned, his wife remained faithful to him and, for thirteen years, raised their child alone, working hard to overcome these difficult years. Meanwhile in Chang'an, Wang Chenglong remarried into the Xu family. Later, sent on a trade mission to Fuzhou, he met his first wife. Their reunion gives rise to a great confusion of feelings.
La Romance de Liang Shanbo et Zhu Yingtai ou Les amants papillons, Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 8pm
Young Zhu Yingtai would like to get an education, but tradition denies girls access to school. To defy the ban, she decides to disguise herself as a man and travels to Hangzhou to study. On the way, she meets the young scholar Liang Shanbo. They strike up an instant friendship, become inseparable and swear an oath of brotherhood. They went to the academy together and studied together for three years. Later, Zhu Yingtai's father urges his daughter to return home. Before leaving, she asks their master's wife to act as a matchmaker to facilitate her marriage to Liang Shanbo.
Peking opera film Pochette à la licorne brodée, Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 2pm
The young Xue Xiangling, of high extraction, meets the destitute young woman Zhao Shouzhen, also due to marry on the same day, sheltered from the rain under the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Moved by Zhao's tears, she offered her an embroidered pouch containing treasures with the meaning "Soon the son of the unicorn will be born". A few years later, Xue Xiangling, separated from her family due to major flooding in Dengzhou, becomes a servant in the Lu family home where she takes care of the lord's son, when she accidentally finds the old pouch...
Peking Opera film The Monkey King, Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 2pm
The Monkey King is based on the story of Journey to the West. Wukong at the Dragon Palace, borrowing the treasure, obtains the gold-ringed staff. The Dragon King complains to the Celestial Palace. Li Changgeng conspires to get Wukong to feed the horses at the imperial stables, where he sows discord and returns to Huaguo Mountain. For the second time, Li Changgeng induces Wukong to go to the Celestial Palace to ambush him. He stirs up trouble at Immortal Lake, steals the elixir of immortality, refines his Fire Eyes in the Eight Trigram Furnace and wins victory over the celestial armies.
Cantonese opera film The Legend of the White Snake, Friday, November 8, 2024 at 2pm
The Cantonese opera The Legend of the White Snake is based on one of China's four great folk tales, and tells the story of Bai Suzhen, a thousand-year-old snake-spirit of longevity, who descends among humans in search of her former lover Xu Xian, only to find herself confronted by a series of obstacles. After passing through the trials of Fa Hai and the mortal world, she finds herself locked up for a thousand years in the Leifeng pagoda. Xu Xian, following the latter's rescue and separation in life and death, finally repents, taking care of their child while awaiting Bai Suzhen's return.
Peking Opera film General Yang Women, Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 2pm
The Tianbo residence is full of joy: centenarian Lady She Taijun is preparing to celebrate the 50th birthday of her grandson Yang Zongbao, who is garrisoned on the frontier. Suddenly comes the grim news that Yang Zongbao has been killed in battle by the invading troops of the King of Western Xia. While the shaken Court wishes for peace, She Taijun, leading his widowed daughter-in-law, the wives of his grandsons and his great-grandson Yang Wenguang, rejects the aberrant views of the peace advocates and valiantly leads the general women of the Yang clan on an expedition.
Opera scenic art exhibition "Splendor of classical Chinese theater", from Monday November 4 to Saturday November 9, 2024 at the China Cultural Center, 1 boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris.
This exhibition showcases works from the National Academy of Dramatic Art of China, reflecting recent innovations in Chinese opera stage design. You'll discover sumptuous costumes, masks, props, set models and photographs illustrating the evolution of artistic techniques. The exhibition features magnificent Chinese theatrical costumes, make-up accessories, stage design models and images.
Chatoyance de costume exhibition, Wednesday 6 to Saturday 9 November at Centre Events Paris, 3 rue du Docteur Lancereaux, 75008 Paris
Contemplating the brocade embroidery of the Imperial Academy of Dramatic Art in the Pear Garden, exploring a thousand years of Chinese costume. Through theater, mutual exchange. Ancient sounds create a new chapter, civilization shines abroad.
From the refined costumes, headdresses, ornamental embroidery and masks of traditional Chinese opera, to student-created illustrations of clothing and opera stage designs, as well as cultural and creative products, the French public can discover and experience the charm of traditional Chinese theater.
Lecture "Exploring the beauty of Peking opera", Wednesday November 6, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
With Li Yanyan, Associate Professor at the National Academy of Theatre of China.
Peking opera, whose origins date back to the 55th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty (1790), features standardized forms of artistic expression in the literary, interpretative, musical and scenic fields. The characters are subdivided into four main roles: male, female, painted face, jester - each with its own specificity in terms of form and performance technique. In November 2010, it was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Conference "Promoting the Creative Transformation and Innovative Development of the Art of Min Opera", Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 10:30 am
With Jiang Liuqing, vice-director of Minjiang Specialized Normal School, consultant to the Min Theater Arts Study Committee of Fujian Province, deputy director of the Min Theater Research Center of Minjiang Specialized Normal School.
The creative transformation and innovative development of Min theatrical art is a tribute to tradition and an ode to the future. The conference will not only allow us to discover the poetic flavors of Fujian opera, but also to perceive the value and potential of traditional culture within modern society. Through this path of respect for tradition and courageous innovation, the art of Min sung theater in the context of the new era blossoms with light towards a wider stage.
Lecture "Approach to Nanxi theater, experience of Ou opera", Friday November 8, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
With Fang Rujiang, a leading figure in Ou theater, national actor of the first order, winner of the Fleur de Prunus prize for Chinese theater.
Ou opera originated in the late Ming-early Qing period, originally called "Wenzhou Luantan Miscellaneous Play", and was popular in southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian. Because of Wenzhou's ancient name of "Oriental Ou" and the river Ou running through it, Wenzhou Luantan was renamed "Ou Theatre" in 1959, and in 2008 was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.
Lecture "Artistic characteristics of Chao opera", Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 10:30 am
With Lin Yanyun, director of Guangdong's Chao Opera Theater Troupe 1, a first-rate national performer and winner of the Fleur de Prunus Chinese Theater Award.
Chao opera is an ancient local theatrical genre sung in the Chaoshan dialect, named after the Chaoshan region of Guangdong where it originated. Originally a branch of the Nanxi of the Song and Yuan periods with a history of nearly six hundred years, it later combined with the melodies and sung material of Chaozhou folklore to evolve into an independent theatrical genre.
Closing ceremony, Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 2 p.m.
On November 10, 2024, join the grand finale of the 9th Festival of Chinese Operas at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris! A unique event where tastings and performances mingle in a festive atmosphere, with an awards ceremony paying tribute to Chinese opera talent.
A not-to-be-missed event for fans of Chinese art and culture!
Reservations for theatre performances
Reservations for conferences, film screenings and closing ceremony (free)
Prices
Conférences: Free
Projections de films: Free
Cérémonie de clôture: Free
Représentations théâtrales: €18
