Opera to celebrate iconic and patriotic story

Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, a renowned professional troupe in northern China dedicated to the traditional art form that dates back some 600 years, will stage its original production, titled Guo Feng, at Tianqiao Theatre in Beijing on June 20 and 21.

Guo Feng is a combination of two Chinese words, guo referring to country and feng meaning demeanor. The production is based on the story of Lady Xu Mu, who is considered a patriotic heroine and was the first female poet recorded in Chinese history. The title of the show delivers the spirit of Lady Xu Mu, who loves and is devoted to her country.

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), Lady Xu Mu was born into a royal family of the Kingdom of Wei. After marrying the king of the Xu Kingdom and moving to the remote kingdom, Lady Xu Mu expressed her homesickness by writing poems. When she heard the news that the Kingdom of Wei was defeated in a war, she decided to go back to help rebuild the kingdom. She also wrote poems to express her love and devotion to her homeland.

With slow-paced melodic singing, poetic verses and graceful movements, Guo Feng gathers top Chinese artists, including scriptwriter Luo Huaizhen and veteran director Cao Qijing.

"We started to prepare for Guo Feng in 2019 and it's a production made exclusively for actress Wei Chunrong," says Luo, referring to Wei, one of the star Kunqu Opera actresses in China, who has been performing with the company since she was 16.

Since its premiere in September 2021, Guo Feng has been revised and restaged several rounds, receiving warm feedback of the audience.

"The company has been staging classic Kunqu Opera pieces and we want to create an original piece for the audience. The story of Lady Xu Mu is rarely told onstage so we decided to do it," says Luo.

According to Cao, though it's a story from 2,700 years ago, audiences could relate to it since it's about love for family and country.

In June, Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre is celebrating its 66th birthday with about 20 performances in Beijing.