Ein Heldenleben: Cai Lun to be Performed at St Luke’s in London

Ein Heldenleban: Cai Lun at St Luke's.
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Ein Heldenleben: Cai Lun to be Performed at St Luke’s in London

Ein Heldenleben: Cai Lun to be Performed at St Luke’s in London.

Chinese director Chen Xinyi will bring to life the story of Cai Lun, the inventor of paper, on stage at St Luke’s in London on October 17th.

The performance tells the story of Cai Lun, a eunuch who invented paper in 105 AD. It is a drama performed in traditional Peking opera style accompanied by Richard Strauss’ symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life). The music structures the narrative around Cai Lun’s complex life.

It reflects the ancient Chinese concept of “比兴” (analogy and metaphor) to explore both his triumphs and his personal struggles.

This interesting blend of classical music, poetry, traditional Chinese performance and style is the creation of Chinese director Chen Xinyi. She is one of China’s most celebrated and innovative theatre directors.

Ein Heldenleben: Cai Lun will debut at St Luke’s in London at 7:30pm on October 17th. Tickets can be purchased on St Luke’s wesbite. 

If you liked this article, why not read: She Came from Xinjiang by Mikray Tursun

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