PRODUCTION Bond [Yue/Shu]
Data Type:news
Author:Wilding, Patrice
Title:Chinese Opera Company in City for Demonstration and Performance
Source:The Scranton Times Tribune
Place:Pennsylvania
Date:2011/4/14
Language:English
Abstract:According to Dr. Ann A. Pang-White, Chinese opera is still rarely performance in the U.S. Bringing cross-dressing and cross-cultural performance that mixes familiar elements with the unfamiliar, Bond offers an opportunity for American audiences to see the characteristics of bangzi and traditional value of Chinese society.

Many people might have a specific idea of what opera looks and sounds like, whether it's based on a personal experience at a concert hall or the mainstream cultural stereotype. Regardless of which category one falls under, most people have probably never seen opera like this.

Organized by the University of Scranton and the Taipei Cultural Center of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, a Carnival of Chinese Opera will be held today from noon to 2:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center at the school. For seat reservations, call 941-6200.

The demonstration and lecture will feature three 15-minute presentations of eye-catching dramatic action. Fire-spitting, stilt-walking and dancing with silk bands will entertain guests, as the performers display and explain the difficulties and intricacies involved in putting on a show. A DVD screening with commentary will follow, which will shed light on the significance attached to the actors' vibrant face paint.

Workshop groups

Guests then will be separated into groups based on their interests to learn about traditions and practices, with lessons about dance and martial art forms as they appear onstage. Materials will be available for guests to apply face paint to themselves, or guests may choose to wait for a turn to have their makeup done professionally. A contest will follow, with prizes awarded to participants who best interpret what they have learned.

Several local schools have made plans to attend the workshops, and space is limited, so calling ahead is recommended.

The carnival serves as a prelude to a free production of Bond, a Taiwan Bangzi Opera adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, on Friday at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple. The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. and seats can be reserved through the box office by calling 344-1111.

Bond follows the plot of Shakespeare's famous tragic comedy, though the setting moves the audience to a medieval Chinese metropolitan prefecture. The story touches on issues of friendship, love, law, race and, according to the show's program, marital fidelity, which is a "deep-rooted Chinese value."

The Taiwan Bangzi Company draws influence from a style of traditional opera that emerged from China's Henan Province. Bangzi, or Henan Opera, came to Taiwan 58 years ago and has developed its own unique take on the traditional style. Known for its dramatic flair, the opera incorporates clappers ("bangzi") which dictate the rhythm of the performance.

"I wanted to bring this play here. Chinese opera is a kind of rare performance," said Dr. Ann A. Pang-White, who is a professor and chairperson of the University's Philosophy Department and the director of Asian Studies.

Complex logistics

Making arrangements for lodging and transport of the 40-plus performers, in addition to 15 traveling musicians, props, wardrobes and more is complicated, explaining the group's 15-year hiatus from performing in the United States. The last time they were here, the star diva of the show, Hai-ling Wang, accepted an award at the Lincoln Center in New York for her work.

"We are lucky to have them," Dr. Pang-White said. "I think it's very unique in the way it has a combination of several different roles, a mixture of opera singing and acrobatic performance and dance at the same time.

"It's a very rich performance art," she said.

Bond is unique in its gender-bending casting choices. Ms. Wang plays an older male lead in the show, which she accepted as a challenge. Another performer in Bond plays male and female roles, as well.

Dr. Pang-White said the choice to adapt such a well-known English play adds to the draw of the show, in that certain familiar elements will be blended with the unfamiliar.

"It's especially suitable for the greater Scranton and Northeast area, because in itself, 'Merchant' is East meets West," she added. "It's a wonderful synthesis, or encounter, of two cultures."

What: Carnival of Chinese Opera demonstration, lecture and workshop
When/Where: Today, noon to 2:30 p.m., fourth floor of DeNaples Center, University of Scranton
Details: To reserve seats, call 941-6200.
What: "Bond," A Taiwan Bangzi Opera adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"
When/Where: Friday, 7:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple
Details: Admission is free. To reserve tickets, call 344-1111.