Shakespeare opera: King Lear, a classic tragedy written by William Shakespeare, was adapted to the Gan opera originating from Jiangxi Province.
Named ‘Li Erwang,’ which shares the same pronunciation as ‘King Lear’ in Chinese, the drama was created and performed by the Gan Opera Troupe of Leping City. It recently premiered in Leping City, Jiangxi Province.
Original Spiritual Core and Localised Opera Form
The drama combines the artistic requirements of the Gan Opera and the aesthetic demands of the opera ecology in northeastern Jiangxi for opera art. It also boldly transforms into a localised and theatrical form.
The director of the drama, Wang Xiufan, explained that the creative team conducted in-depth research on the original work, repeatedly polished the script, and cleverly integrated the unique singing style, performance form, and regional cultural characteristics of the Gan opera. At the same time, in order to perfectly present the story of “King Lear”, the drama retained the spiritual core of the original work, making Western classic stories wear the “coat of the Gan opera.
Cultural Exchanges between China and Western Countries
During the seminar on artistic innovation held on February 18th, experts believe that adaptation is a form of recreation. “Li Erwang” shows outstanding artistic changes from script adaptation to stage presentation. Its thematic content conforms to the psychological demands of Chinese audiences for family and filial piety, and the script adaptation and deletion are appropriate.
At the same time, the drama has a complete range of performances. The performance brought together the rich artistic skills of actors, actresses, and comedic roles. It vividly showcased the unique personalities and traditional aesthetics of Gan Opera. Chinese audiences gained a deeper understanding of European classic plays. Meanwhile, Western audiences had the opportunity to explore the art of Gan Opera. It’s a promotion for cultural and artistic exchanges and mutual learning between China and the West.
What’s more, Jiangxi is the hometown of Tang Xianzu (1550 – 1616) , a Chinese playwright of the Ming Dynasty. His approach has drawn comparisons to Western writers such as Shakespeare and Philip Sidney. “The intersection between Tang and Shakespeare has always been a theme of cultural exchanges between China and Western countries, and the use of Tang’s hometown art form to interpret Shakespeare’s masterpiece has a special significance,” Wang Xiufan said.
It’s not the first time that there has been a Shakespeare opera. Back in the 1990’s, the Gan Theater of Jiangxi Province has rehearsed the adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Written by Yetao Gu.
If you liked this article why not read: BBC’s ‘Inside No. 9’ Stage Adaption Performed in Beijing
