CLICK HERE to read the latest Red Bean Performance newsletter!
Saturday
July 5th, 2003, 7 p.m. to 10:45 p.m.
San Francisco
Great Star Theatre
Saturday July 5th, 2003, 7 p.m. to 10:45 p.m.
San Francisco Great Star Theatre
Cast of Characters
(Director and Master: Leung Jhing, Bak Chiu Hong, Wong Chi Ming)
Laura Ma Veronica Lew Alice Liang Edward Ma Cecelia Yu Paula Lee Grace Tam Erick Lee Helen Chou Jared Young Denise Chan Tami Chan Rebecca Ng Katrina Uychaco Winifer Ma Connie Yee Vivian Ung Becky Ung Christine Lowe Ashley Szeto |
|
Introduction
This opera play is a romantic comedy and a love story of a married couple.
The husband Chan Gwei Sheong is a scholar and a court official.
Chan’s wife Lau Yuk Ngor is well known for being very beautiful,
highly intelligent and extremely jealous. Their marriage suffered because of Chan's
weakness for having a "wandering eye" towards beautiful women, and Lau's
over-powering personality, suspicious mind and jealous rage. This story is about
their relationship: how they live through numerous misunderstandings, trials and
tribulations, and finally reach a mutual understanding that they are truly in
love with each other. The story ends with a happy finale.
Prologue
Scholar Chan Gwei Sheong was blessed with good fortune and was
promoted to court official. Bored with his good fortune, Chan
became restless and started flirting with other women. Knowing her husband’s
desire for beautiful women, Lau Yuk Ngor had always kept a close
eye on Chan. At the same time, for fear of his wife's jealous
rage, Chan played it safe most of the time. On one occasion, Chan
sneaked out while Lau was taking an afternoon nap. He and
his scholar buddy, Su Dong Bor, seek out other women for comfort. Lau
later learned of her husband's unfaithfulness. She punished him by making him
kneel and balance a lamp on his head for the entire night.
Scene I: Jealousy and Vengeance
On the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, festivities were held in the palace by
the emperor to celebrate the New Year with all the government officials.
Celebration activities included solving riddles that were written on the
decorative lanterns. Among Chan, Lau, and Su, Lau
was by far the most outstanding in solving the riddles that others failed to
solve, which put both Chan and Su to shame. The
emperor awarded Lau with a royal jade coin, and she in turned,
gave it to Chan, reaffirming her love for her husband in public.
Su felt so humiliated for losing to a woman that he numbed himself
with wine. His drunkenness soon brought out words of sarcasm towards Lau.
Lau, utterly displeased with Su's sarcasm,
complained to the emperor, and insisted that Su be punished for
his behavior. Being a man himself, the emperor could totally understand how Su
must have felt after he was defeated by a woman. Although he sympathized with Su,
the emperor had to penalize him with a month’s pay cut in order to please the
empress.
Scene II: Secret Strategy
Chan and Lau were staying at home, enjoying their
time together as a loving couple. Suddenly, Chan received an
invitation from Su to go sightseeing at Yellow Mountain. At first,
Lau was not willing to let her husband hang out with Su.
But Chan reassured her that he would be at his best behavior and
would not flirt with the other women. If he broke his promise, he would allow
her to cane him. With that being said, Lau let him go. However,
she secretly sent a faithful servant to spy on him.
Scene III: Falling to Temptation
When Chan met Kum Cho at Yellow Mountain, he was
immediately bewitched by her beguiling beauty. Kum Cho told Chan
that if possible, she was willing to become his concubine. Chan,
shocked and overjoyed at Kum Cho's proposal, gave her the royal
jade coin as the engagement present.
On the other hand, Lau felt insecure and followed Chan to
Yellow Mountain, finding only a female handkerchief left behind. When Lau
later learned of the whole story from her faithful servant, she stormed home
furiously.
Scene IV: Jealousy and Rage
Chan returned home from Yellow Mountain to find his wife fuming,
and she demanded that he return the royal jade coin. Since Chan
could not explain the whereabouts of the royal jade coin, Lau
caned him and made him kneel by the pond outside in the garden.
Su found out about Chan's beating and advised Chan
to divorce Lau. The reason was that Lau had
committed one of the "Seven Great Sins" for being a wife. Chan
took Su's advice and drafted the divorce letter.
Lau received the divorce letter, but disputed that she did not
commit any one of the "Seven Great Sins", and brought the letter to
the local court to seek justice.
Scene V: The Lioness Roars
The court magistrate Kwei Yuk Sur, happened to be Lau's
uncle. Kwei knew of his niece's jealous and spoiled temperament.
He rejected Lau’s appeal and ruled to allow Chan
to marry Kum Cho as his concubine.
Kwei also happened to fear his wife, and his wife sided with Lau.
Both men ended up kneeling in front of their wives begging for forgiveness.
Scene VI: The Happy Ending
After suffering much humiliation, Chan and Kwei made
their appeal to the Royal Palace Court. The emperor, sympathizing with the men,
also granted Chan permission to have a concubine. The emperor
threatened to beat Lau and even give her poisoned wine if she did
not comply. Lau, stubborn and proud, would rather die than to
concur. Lau finally drank the poisoned wine that was granted by
the emperor. Meanwhile, Chan was devastated and filled with
remorse at Lau's suicide. He, too, wanted to die with Lau.
Fortunately, the empress had ordered a eunuch to switch the poison wine with
white vinegar earlier. Lau was unharmed. Through much trial and
tribulation, both Chan and Lau realized how much
they really loved each other.
At last, Chan and Lau reaffirmed their love for each
other as husband and wife. Su and Kum Cho felt
extremely remorseful for what they had done. Kum Cho was granted a
royal pardon, and she was allowed to return home to seek for her own love and
happiness.
|
[Home]
[About
Cantonese Opera] [News & Events] [Red Bean]
[Music Orient] [ABC
Corner] [NBC
Corner] [CBS
Corner]
[Editorials] [Spotlight on...] [About
this site]
©
2002 Bay Area Cantonese Opera. All rights reserved.