LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas
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2/22 The Marriage of Liu Bei and Sun Shang-Xiang
QIAO Xuan by LI Bao-Chun
SUN Shang-Xiang by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
LIU Bei & LU Su by LI Long-Xian
SUN Quan by LU Yu-Kun
Queen Dowager WU by LI Zhao-Yun
ZHAO Yun by HSU Yan-Kai
ZHAO Yun by TSENG Yueh-Hung
ZHOU Yu by LIN Jing-Chen
ZHOU Yu by HSU Yan-Kai
ZHANG Fei by LEE Ching-Fong
An episode of Tale of the Three Kingdoms. Sun Quan and Zhou Yu schemed to lure Liu Bei away from Jing-Zhou so that they could seize the city. They proposed marriage between Liu and Sun’s sister, Princess Sun Shang-Xiang, but Liu was asked to travel to the Sun’s territory for a formal proposal. Liu’s adviser, Zhuge Liang, saw through the trap. He not only saved Jing-Zhou City but also brought Liu Bei and Sun Shang-Xiang together into a happy marriage.
3/1 Guan Yu: Plucking the Silk Robe at Ba Bridge/The Reunion in Old Town
GUAN Yu by LI Bao-Chun
CAO Cao by LEE Ching-Fong
ZHANG Fei by LEE Ching-Fong
Groom by WANG Yung-Tseng
LIU Bei by LI Long-Xian
CAI Yang by KAO Hao-Chun
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): LIN Shih-Lien
Drum (Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun
Duration: 105 minutes
Filmed on June 28, 2020, Cement Hall, Taipei
Guan Yu, having been captured by Cao Cao and treated as a VIP, learned the whereabouts of his comrades Liu Bei and Zhang Fei one day. He found Zhang Fei had taken over Gu-cheng, where Zhang and Liu’s army was now stationed. At once Guan Yu returned, in a sealed envelope, the gold Cao Cao gave him and hanged the stamp that signified power, also given to him by Cao Cao, and left for Gu-cheng. Cao Cao, on hearing about Guan’s departure, followed Guan to Ba Bridge and presented good wine and a silk robe as a token of friendship. Pouring the wine over his weapon and pricking the robes aside with his spear, Guan Yu rode away.
Arriving at Gu-cheng, Zhang Fei who suspected Guan of turning into Cao’s spy, cross-examined Guan Yu harshly. Meanwhile, Cao’s army had chased Guan to Gu-cheng. Zhang Fei would not open the gate for Guan. Guan had to kill Cao’s general to prove his integrity. Liu, Guan, Zhang, the three brother-like comrades, re-united in Gu-cheng in the long run, but Zhang Fei had to apologize repeatedly before Guan would pardon him.
3/8 Legend of White Snake
BAI Su-Zhen by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
XU Xian by LI Long-Xian
Xiao-Qing by YU Chi-Jou
Fa-Hai by LEE Ching-Fong
Little Monk by CHUANG Chiao-Wei
Boatman by LIU Hsiang-Chih
Qie-Lan by KAO Hao-Chun
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum(Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun
Filmed on September 25, 2022, Sanchong Stadium, New Taipei City
A thousand-year-old white snake in the E-Mei Mountains decided to visit the famous West Lake. Together with her maid, a green snake, she transformed herself into a beautiful young lady. While touring the West Lake, she met a handsome young man in the rain. She and the young man shared an umbrella and fell in love with each other. Later on, the white snake married the young man.
A monk in the Jin-Shan Temple heard about this marriage. He encouraged the young man to serve liquor to his wife at the Dragon-boat Festival. After a few reluctant drinks, the beautiful lady revealed her true identity. The appearance of a snake in his bed frightened the young man into a coma. The white snake journeyed to a sacred mountain for the medicine which successfully helped her husband regain consciousness.
The monk came again to save the young man’s soul. He asked the young man to call at the Jin-Shan Temple, and, upon the young man’s arrival, shut him up in the monastery. The pregnant white snake, accompanied by the green snake, went for her husband and got into a battle with the monk who enlisted the assistance of celestial guards. The snakes, commending fishes and turtles, caused a flood, nearly destroyed the temple, and fled.
On their way home, the snakes met the young man who also fled the Jin-Shan Temple. They stayed at the young man’s sister’s where the white snake gave birth to a baby boy. A month later, the monk came again to save the young man’s soul. This time he succeeded in catching the white snake and throwing her into darkness under the Lei-Feng Tower.
3/15 The Female General in Disguise/Lu Yao and Ma Li
The Female General in Disguise
YANG Ba-Jie by YU Chi-Jou
JIAO Guang-Pu by WANG Yung-Tseng
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Cheng-Han
Duration: 30 minutes
Filmed on September 27, 2020, Cement Hall, Taipei
During a fierce conflict between the Song Dynasty and the Liao reign, Yang Ba-Jie was ordered to disguise herself as a man and infiltrate the Liao territory to gather military intelligence.
On her return journey, she passed through Willow Leaf Town, where she was stopped by the innkeeper Jiao Guang-Pu. Fearing that her identity had been exposed, Yang Ba-Jie got into a fight with Jiao. After a fierce exchange, she discovered that Jiao Guang-Pu was also a subject of the Song. He had been stranded in the enemy territory, unable to cross the border, for lack of official papers.
Yang Ba-Jie then arranged for Jiao Guang-Pu to disguise himself as her groom. Together they returned safely to the Song territory.
Lu Yao and Ma Li
LU Yao by LI Bao-Chun
MA Li by LI Long-Xian
RI Jiu by TSAI Yueh-Hsun
Mrs. LU by LEE Zhao-Yun
Innkeeper by CHEN Yu-Xuan
LU Fu by LEE Ching-Fong
Moderator by HUANG Yu-Chen
Moderator by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum(Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun
Filmed on September 27, 2020, Cement Hall, Taipei
On his way to the capital, young Ma Li was attacked by bandits and rescued by a local gent Lu Yao, and the two swore brotherhood. To help Ma Li pursue his ambitions, Lu Yao sold his land to finance Ma Li’s trip onward.
Ma Li later rose to prominence in the capital, while Lu Yao was left destitute after a devastating fire. Seeking refuge, Lu Yao traveled to the capital where Ma Li welcomed him warmly. Yet when Ma Li was suddenly summoned away on urgent official duty, Lu Yao—wounded by pride and doubt—believed his brother looked down upon him. Lu Yao thus left in anger.
Unable to stop Lu Yao, Ma Li secretly sent an aide to follow Lu Yao home. Upon Lu Yao’s return, he found his ruined house rebuilt and Ma Li awaiting at the gate. Lu Yao at last understood the depth of Ma Li’s affection and the prevailing bond of their brotherhood.
3/22 Stabbing Yan Xi Jiao/Capturing Alive
Stabbing Yan Xi Jiao
YAN Xi-Jiao by CHEN Yu-Xuan
SONG Jiang by LI Long-Xian
Madame by HUANG Yu-Chen
Capturing Alive
YAN Xi-Jiao by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
ZHANG Wen-Yuan by WANG Yung-Tseng
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han, CHEN Chun
Duration: 90minutes
Filmed on July 26, 2020, Cement Hall, Taipei
Song Jiang took a pity on Yan Xi-Jiao, who just lost her father, and built a house (House Wulong) for Yan and her mother. However, Yan secretly fell in love with Song’s pupil, Zhang Wen-Yuan. To leave Song for Zhang, Yan threatened Song with a letter he received from the bandits of the Liang Mountains. In a rage, Song killed Yan. Yan became a ghost and went to seek love from Zhang. She ended up taking Zhang’s life to be with Zhang forever.
3/29 On Stage/Off Stage
Playwright & Director: LI Bao-Chun
Music Design: CHUNG Yiu-Kwong
Vocal Composer: LYU Yu-Yong
Stage Design: CHANG Wei-Wen
Costume Design: TSAI Yu-Fen
Lighting Design: LEE Chun-Yu
Projection Design: HSU Yi-Chun
CHENG Xiao-Tian by LI Bao-Chun
CHENG Tian Ci by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
XING Yu-Lian by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
LU Bu-Wei by LI Long-Xian
MEI Ying by LIN Tzu-Yin
Manager LIU Shi-Min
Conductor: CHUNG Yiu-Kwong
Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu
Drum(Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun
Duration: 160 minutes
Filmed on December 27, 2025, Taiwan Xiqu Center, Taipei
Baochun Li in Peking Opera Neo-Classics
On Stage, Off Stage
—a new expression in Peking Opera
On stage, Off stage is a bold new form of Peking Opera written, directed, and played-in-lead by renowned Peking Opera artist Li Baochun—winner of the Shanghai Magnolia Award and the Lincoln Center’s Outstanding Artist Award. Other performers include Kong Yuetzu and Li Longxian of Taipei Li-Yuan Peking Opera Theatre, musical theatre soprano Lin Tzuyin, and drama actor Liu Shimin. The songs were composed by Lu Yuyong. Acclaimed international composer Chung Yaokuang, blending traditional Peking opera vocals with Western classical techniques, composed the full scores. The performance will be accompanied, live, by a music ensemble, conducted by Chung Yaokuang.
Set in the 1930s, the plot of On stage, Off stage follows a Peking Opera master and his adopted daughter as they rose above hardship and strove for growth. It portrays how a group of opera performers defied oppression and became their own heroes in life.
“All the world’s a stage.” All that on stage mirrors life. Onstage or offstage, it’s ourselves that we are playing and appraising.
