LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas
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11/2 The Jade Hairpin
Minister of Personnel Li Ting-Fu admired the intelligence and scholarly promise of Wang Yu-Lin and arranged for him to marry his daughter, Xiu-Ying. However, Li's nephew Gu Wen-You, consumed by jealousy, bribed the matchmaker to steal Xiu-Ying's jade hairpin and forged a love letter. On the couple's wedding night, Wang Yu-Lin found both items and mistakenly believed Xiu-Ying had been unfaithful. Feeling betrayed, he treated his bride with coldness and cruelty. Eventually, Minister Li uncovered the truth, and Wang Yu-Lin, filled with remorse, reconciled with Xiu-Ying. He later placed first in the imperial exam and returned home in triumph, offering his wife a phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes to make amends as the young couple reunited.
11/9 The Wilderness
Original play written by CAO Yu
Artistic Director by XIE Jin
Director & Adaptation by LI Bao-Chun.
Vocal Composer by ZHU Shao-Yu
Music Design by CHUNG Yiu-Kwong
Stage Design by CHANG Wei-Wen
Lighting Design by LEE Chun-Yu
Costume Design by TSAI Yu-Fen
QIU Hu by LI Bao Chun.
Jin Zi by HUANG YU-Lin
JIAO Da-Xing by LI Yu-Hsuan
Mrs. JIAO by SUN Cai-Hong
CHANG Wu by TSAI Yueh-Hsun
Fool by CHUANG Chiao-Wei
Jinhu (Head of Strings): LYU Yu-Yong
Drum (Head of Percussions): LIU Yun-He
Duration: 160 minutes
Filmed on October 25, 2013, Novel Hall for Performing Arts, Taipei
After a train passed through the countryside, Qiu Hu appeared—shackled and fierce—returning home to seek revenge. He reunited with his former lover, Hua Jin-Zi, now married to his sworn brother, Jiao Da-Xing.
Jin-Zi suffered under the harsh control of her suspicious mother-in-law, Mrs. Jiao. Her passion with Qiu Hu was rekindled, and she is torn-- Qiu Hu did not return for love alone, but also for vengeance. Years ago, the Jiao family framed him, leading to his father's death, his own imprisonment, and the destruction of his family.
Mrs. Jiao ordered Qiu Hu's capture. Da-Xing, usually weak, was driven to action after learning of Jin-Zi's betrayal. Qiu Hu revealed the truth, leaving Da-Xing in shock. As tensions rise, all got pulled into a spiral of retribution.
To retain Jin-Zi, Da-Xing lied, saying he would report Qiu Hu’s whereabouts to the militia. Jin-Zi and Qiu Hu escaped, choosing love and danger rather than surrender.
11/16 Hua Mu-Lan
During the Northern Dynasty, when foreign invaders breached the borders, urgent military conscriptions were issued. Hua Mu-Lan's elderly father, Hua Hu, was called-up to the frontlines. Knowing her father was too frail and her younger brother too young, Mu-Lan disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the army under her brother's name to take her father's place.
Over twelve years of battles, she fought with courage, wisdom, and unwavering resolve, achieving many victories and commendations. Upon returning in triumph to the capital city, the imperial court honored her with a prestigious title. Marshal He and her fellow generals visited the Hua household in person to deliver the commendation—only then did they discover that the heroic soldier was in fact a young woman. Deeply impressed, the Marshal praised Mu-Lan and called her a true national heroine.
11/23 Punishment for a Princess
During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Dai-Zong arranged for his daughter, Princess Sheng-Ping, to marry Prince Guo-Ai, the sixth son of the revered general Guo Zi-Yi. When Guo Zi-Yi celebrated his 60th birthday, all his sons and sons-in-law attended the celebration—except for Princess Sheng-Ping, who, prideful of her royal status, refused to show up.
Offended by his wife's behavior, Prince Guo-Ai returned home in anger and struck the princess. Princess Sheng-Ping rushed back to her parents in tears, demanding that her father punish her husband.
General Guo Zi-Yi presented his son in chains in the royal court, offering him up for judgment. However, Emperor Dai-Zong, recognizing Guo Zi-Yi's immense contributions to the empire, chose not to intervene in their domestic quarrel. Instead, he gave Prince Guo-Ai a promotion and, together with the Empress, started to mediate between the young couple. Princess Sheng-Ping and Prince Guo-Ai were thus able to stay in harmony.
11/30 Nuo Zha, the Legendary Third Prince
Artistic Director: LI Bao-Chun
Director: TSAI Yueh Hsun
Vocal Composer: TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Nuo Zha by YU Chi-Jou
LI Jing by LI Bao-Chun
Mrs. LI by CHEN Yu-Xuan
Tai Yi the Immortal by LI Long-Xian
Dragon King by LEE Ching-Fong
Dragon Prince by HSU Yan-Kai
Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum (Head of Percussions): CHEN Chun
Duration: 110 minutes
Filmed on February 7, 2021, Metropolitan Hall, Taipei
The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea terrorized the land with storms and floods, bringing devastation to the common people. One day, while playing by the seashore, the young Nuo Zha witnessed the Dragon King's son seizing innocent children as sacrifices. Nuo Zha intervened and, in the heat of battle, killed the dragon prince.
The Dragon King, enraged by his son's death, unleashed a monstrous flood upon Chen Tang Pass and swore vengeance unless Nuo Zha was punished. To protect his family from disgrace and save the people from further suffering, Nuo Zha made the ultimate sacrifice—taking his own life in exchange for peace.
However, Nuo Zha's master, Tai Yi the Immortal, moved by his disciple's unwavering sense of justice, brought him back to life using a lotus spirit body. Reborn and armed with the mystical Red Armillary Sash, the Universe Ring, and his golden spear, Nuo Zha, alongside his father Li Jing and his troops, struck the Dragon Palace.
Nuo Zha's valor compelled the Dragon King to surrender and mend his ways, bringing peace to the people once more.
12/7 Jin-Zi
The cruel Jiao Yan-Wang framed Hu-Zi for a crime and seized his wealth. Hu-Zi was therefore imprisoned, separated from his lover Jin-Zi who was in turn forced to marry Jiao’s son, Jiao Da-Xing and suffered under her harsh mother-in-law.
Ten years later, Hu-Zi escape from the jail and returned for revenge, only to learn Jiao Yan-Wang had already been dead. He reunited with Jin-Zi, and old feelings resurfaced, but so did bitter rivalries. Hu-Zi and Da-Xing, once childhood friends, were now enemies.
Ignoring Jin-Zi's pleas, Hu-Zi killed the innocent Da-Xing. On the run, he took his own life. A heartbroken Jin-Zi set out alone for the unknown.
12/14
Adaptation and Director: LI Bao-Chun
Music Design: CHUNG Yiu-Kwong
Vocal Composer: ZHU Shao-Yu
Stage Design: CHANG Wei-Wen
Lighting Design: LEE Chun-Yu
Costume Design: TSAI Yu-Fen
LI Yong-De, the Jester by LI Bao-Chun
Ji-Er, daughter of Li by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
Man Le, the Duke by LI Long-Xian
SHI Yu-Lian, sister of assassin by CHEN Yu-Xuan
SHI Da-Cheng, the assassin by LEE Ching-Fong
QIAO Ruo-Fan, housekeeper of the Li’s by HUANG Yu-Chen
Conductor: CHUNG Yiu-Kwong
Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum(Head of Percussions): CHEN Chun, WU Cheng-Han
Duration: 135 minutes
Filmed on January 29, 2021, Metropolitan Hall, Taipei
The Jester
“The Jester” is Verdi's “Rigoletto” recomposed by Maestro Bao-Chun LI into Peking Opera.
Duke Man Le was a pleasure-seeking nobleman, and his jester, Li Yong-De, went to great lengths to entertain him. The jester's job included seeking women to satisfy the duke's sexual desire. One day, some court officials who hated the jester discovered the latter had a beautiful woman hidden in the woods. They took the woman for Li's mistress and secretly send her to the duke, while the woman was in fact Li's own daughter, Ji-Er.
When Li learned his daughter had been sent to the duke's palace, he was devastated. He hired an assassin and plotted revenge. But the assassin's sister, Yu-Lian, fell for the duke, and in a tragic twist, Ji-Er got murdered instead.
Li received the body from the assassin, thinking it was the duke's. Yet, as he prepared to dispose of it, he heard the duke singing in the distance and realized too late that he had lost the person he loved most.
