Kunju opera is one of China’s oldest opera genres, combining poetry, music, singing, dance, and acting. It is extremely important in the history of Chinese literature, traditional opera and the arts of music and dance. It was listed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001.
During the course of its tour of Hungary, the Suzhou Kunju Opera Troupe performed first in Budapest, then in Miskolc and, finally, in Debrecen.
The Suzhou Kunju Troupe of Jiangsu Province, as the professional and official troupe of the opera’s birthplace, is consistent in preserving its ancient traditional performance style and authentic character.
Over the past ten years or more, successfully staged modern adaptations of these works have been staged. These productions are considered significant not only in the world of Kunju opera but also in the entire cultural life. Besides passing on the classical artistic heritage, the troupe promotes valuable traditional culture, infusing Kunju art with new, youthful energy and successfully exploring ways to pass on the whole nation’s cultural heritage.
- The audience in Debrecen will have the opportunity to experience this unique Chinese opera genre for the first time ever. In it, ethereal movements, elegant costumes, unique face paint and centuries-old melodies evoke the artistic world that has preserved the beauty of Chinese culture across generations- said László Erik Kovács, a staff member of the Confucius Institute at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen, in an interview granted to hirek.unideb.hu before the performance.
During the entire performance, the opera’s libretto was projected in the form of subtitles in both Chinese and Hungarian.
Admission to the event was free of charge, but advance registration was required at the website https://forms.gle/4UrQMLB5iJGqmKyB7.
The performance began at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, at the oDEon Theater (at the address of Debrecen, Böszörményi út 138).
Press Center – BZs