2000 Anhui Huangmei Opera

Date: 19th August, 2000            Venue: Sydney Concert Hall

Organizers: - Australian Chinese Performing Artists’ Association - Anhui Provincial Association in Australia - Beijing Association in Australia

Description: 黃梅戲 Huangmei Style Opera Huangmei opera or Huangmei tone (黃梅戲 or 黃梅調,) originated as a form of rural folksong and dance that has been in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. In 2006 it was reconised as one of the important ‘intangible’ cultural relics of the People’s Republic of China, which is equivalent to giving the art form domestic heritage list status. The music is performed with a pitch that hits high and stays high for the duration of the song. It is unique in the sense that it does not sound like the typical rhythmic Chinese opera. In the 1960s Hong Kong counted the style as much as an opera as it was a music genre. Today it is more of a traditional performance art with efforts of revival in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

The Anhui Provincial Huangmei Xi Theatre Company presented this evening’s program, building on their heritage of performance art dating back to 1956. 徽剧 Anhui Opera Anhui Opera is also one of the more famous performance artforms originating in Anhui province, with a long history to match that of Huangmei. Whilst Huiju (or Anhui Opera) has not undergone the evolution and change of Huangmei, it is still a mature artform worthy of its acceptance to China’s national heritage list. Performances this evening were presented by the Anhui Provincial Huiju Theatre Company, also founded in 1956 as a sister company to the Anhui Provincial Huangmei Xi Theatre Company.

The program is as follow: Tale of the Flower Goddess ----- an Opera in the Huang Mei style How Happy It Must Be In The Comfort Of Mortals ----- an Opera in the Huang Mei style The Husband and Wife Make a Home Together ----- an Opera in the Huang Mei style Who Won the Prize? ----- an Opera in the Huang Mei style Husband and Wife Admiring the Lanterns ----- an Opera in the Huang Mei style Drowning of the Seven Armies ----- an Opera in the Anhui Style Pagoda of Flowers ----- an Opera in the Anhui Style Broken Bridge ----- an Opera in the Anhui Style