LCSD - Cultural Presentations Section ,Chinese Opera Festival 2026 09 Sat May 2026 | 19 Sat Sep 2026 Various venues DATE VENUE PRICE 09.05.26(Sat) - 19.09.26(Sat) Various venues DATE 09.05.26(Sat) - 19.09.26(Sat) VENUE Various venues Chinese Opera Chinese Opera Festival 2026 ForewordChinese Opera Festival 2026 Opening Programme: Showcase of Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour RolesLuoyang Yu Opera TroupeHebei Bangzi Opera Theatre of Hebei ProvinceJiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera TheatreShangdang Bangzi Opera Theatre of Jincheng CityA New Cantonese Opera Ancient Tune of GuanglingMeet-the-ArtistsTalks, Workshops, Backstage Tour and Demonstration PerformanceChinese Opera Film ShowsChinese Culture Festival Booking GuideExhibitionOnline Registration As a core component of the Chinese Culture Festival, the theme of this year Chinese Opera Festival is "Righteousness and Loyalty in Chinese Opera". The programme features a selection of classics from different operatic genres that expounds the values of loyalty and righteousness. Leading troupes representing mainstream genres and three regional bangzi vocal traditions will present heartrending portrayals of classic heroic figures on Chinese opera stage. Through showcasing the four aspects of expertise required in Chinese opera – singing, line-delivery, acting and martial arts – the virtuosic performers will take the audience on journeys of courage, sacrifice and moral integrity that have long defined the heroic ethos of Chinese culture. Chinese Opera Festival 2026 Opening Programme: Showcase of Peking Opera Actors in Full Armour Roles Due to injury, Wei Xuelei, performer of Jingju Theater Company of Beijing, is unable to attend the Meet-the-Artists session and to perform as planned. Lu Meng, performer of Hubei Provincial Peking Opera Theatre will replace him as a speaker of the talk, while Xi Zhonglu and Chen Lin of Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company will take Wei' s place in the performance. Introduction Leading wusheng (military male) heavyweights from four major Peking Opera troupes assemble unprecedentedly in Hong Kong to flex their muscles in three fascinating programmes. Celebrated as 'the foremost wusheng of our time', Xi Zhonglu joins Wei Xuelei of the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing and Chen Lin of the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company to set the stage with The Battle at Changbanpo and The Incident at Hanjin Crossing, spectacular works that capture the heroic spirit of the Three Kingdoms. Wang Xilong, from the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, elaborates his military painted-face role in two iconic works. Wang Daxing from the Tianjin Peking Opera Theatre demonstrates valour of the fully armoured role in The Pulley, while Lu Meng of the Hubei Provincial Peking Opera Theatre presents the dynamic close-combat style in Seven for a Righteous Cause. The Martial Art of Wusheng in Peking Opera The wusheng (martial male) within the sheng role type of Peking Opera can broadly be divided into two subtypes: changkao and duanda. Changkao wusheng wear full armour and thick-soled boots, portraying commanding generals such as Guan Yu and Zhao Yun with dignified bearing alongside combat techniques. Duanda wusheng, by contrast, wear fitted costumes and light footwear, depicting heroic fighters through agile, swift, and acrobatic movements. Three mainstream stylistic schools of wusheng personae emerged towards the turn of the 20th century: the Yu (Jusheng) school was fierce and maverick, pioneering in adopting painted-face outlook for warriors; the Li (Chunlai) school was renowned for acrobatic tumbling and nimble physicality; and the Huang (Yueshan) school combined virtuosic singing with beard technique. Later, the Yang (Xiaolou) and Gai (Jiaotian) schools rose to prominence — celebrated respectively as ‘Northern Yang’ and ‘Southern Gai’— shaping the modern aesthetics of wusheng artistry. Programme Details 26/6 7:30pm Lin Chong on the Run Main Cast : Zhao Hongyun The Battle at Changbanpo and The Incident at Hanjin Crossing Main Cast : Xi Zhonglu, Wei Xuelei, Chen Lin Lin Chong on the Run is a well-known Peking Opera featuring duanda wusheng roles, with equal emphasis on vocals and acting. Zhao Hongyun from the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company successfully conveys the derring-do spirit of a Water Margin hero and the desolation of a fallen warrior. The Battle at Changbanpo and The Incident at Hanjin Crossing showcase scenes of combats from the Three Kingdoms, performed by a succession of wusheng actors. Acclaimed master Xi Zhonglu, hailed as today’s foremost wusheng, commands the stage as Guan Yu with impressive manoeuvres of courage, valour and composure. Wei Xuelei of the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing and Chen Lin of the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company share the portrayal of Zhao Yun, dazzling with their epic warfare feats. The two-part programme contrasts melancholic solitude with all-out combats, demonstrating the dynamic range of martial artistry in Peking Opera. The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes. 27/6 7:30pm The Pulley Main Cast : Wang Daxing Wu Song Checking in at the Inn Main Cast : Lu Jialiang Rescuing His Sister at the Bright Sun Mansion Main Cast : Wang Xilong The Pulley is regarded as a touchstone of wusheng mastery, constituting to generations of skilled virtuosi each with their respective style. In this programme, Wang Daxing, a Class One Performer of the Tianjin Peking Opera Theatre, demonstrates his formidable command of challenging routines such as qiba, extended combat, and ‘overturning the pulleys’ technique in his portrayal of General Gao. The acclaimed Wu Song Checking in at the Inn of the Gai school features Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company rising star Lu Jialiang, whose agile movements bring humour and vitality to the piece. In the masterpiece Rescuing His Sister at the Bright Sun Mansion of the Li (Huiliang) school, Class One Performer Wang Xilong’s martial choreography is outstanding in portraying the spoilt-brat Gao Deng with striking poses. All three works reveal the diversity and stylistic brilliance of wusheng traditions in Peking Opera. The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes. 28/6 2:30pm Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister Off Main Cast : Wang Xilong Seven for a Righteous Cause Main Cast : Lu Meng At the Crossroads Main Cast : Hao Shuai, Hao Jie On Iron Cage Mountain Main Cast : Xi Zhonglu Refined by master Li Huiliang, Zhong Kui Marrying His Sister Off has become a signature wusheng piece combining singing, line delivery, and martial choreography. Wang Xilong, inheritor of the Li school, captures the role’s delicate balance of humour and poignancy. Both Seven for a Righteous Cause and At the Crossroads are classics of the Gai school. In the former, Class One Performer Lu Meng of the Hubei Provincial Peking Opera Theatre leads a dynamic ensemble, embodying the gallant spirit of outlaw heroes through vigorous martial choreography. The latter features Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company performers Hao Shuai and his long-time partner Hao Jie, who are amongst the most celebrated comic-action duets playing wusheng and wuchou (martial comic) roles. On Iron Cage Mountain is a major painted-face wusheng showcase, while Xi Zhonglu closes the evening as General Jiang Wei, with his commanding presence and dazzling combat sequences. The running time of the performance is approximately 3 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes. Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre $560 $460 $360 $260 Programme of HKICH Month Lyrics and dialogue with Chinese and English surtitles. Please refer to "Chinese Culture Festival Booking Guide" for booking details. The content of the programme does not represent the views of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme and substitute artists. Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe Introduction Luoyang, a city of elegance, is famous for its iconic peonies, with Yu Opera as its artistic soul. The legendary Ma Jinfeng, creator of the shuai dan (military-leading female) role type, combines stylised movements of qingyi (virtuous female), daomadan (sword-wielding and riding female), and wusheng (martial male), and is acclaimed as 'the Peony of Luoyang'. Specialised in the shuai dan role, her disciple Guan Meili will be joined by Plum Blossom Award winners and Class One performers to present signature works of the Ma School: Mu Guiying Takes Command, which exemplifies heroic feminine valour; Demanding Justice from the Emperor, a classic Yu Opera comedy that sparkles with wit and vivacity through the female lead; and The Spear as a Token of Love, a bitter love story spanning four decades. Selected excerpts from diverse stylistic traditions will complete the programme. Yu Opera Yu Opera, also known as Henan Bangzi, is a branch of the clapper opera (bangzi) vocal system that emerged during the period of contention between the 'Elegant' and 'Popular' stylistic schools during the Ming dynasty. Fusing qin-qiang, Puzhou Bangzi, and local folk theatrical forms of Henan, distinct regional schools took shape – the Xiangfu style (around Kaifeng), Eastern Henan style (around Shangqiu), Western Henan style (around Luoyang), and Shahe style (around Luohe). Its vocal style is sonorous and forceful, yet also fluid and lyrical, while the overall pacing is vivid and intense. The unique operatic style has produced many great masters through the ages, among whom the 'Five Divas' — Chang Xiangyu, Ma Jinfeng, Chen Suzhen, Cui Lantian, and Yan Lipin — are the most widely celebrated. Of these, Ma Jinfeng created the distinctive shuaidan role type, which tactfully fuses the poise of qingyi (virtuous female), the heroic bearing of daomadan (sword-wielding and horse-riding female), and the vigour of wusheng (martial male). Ma's rich, mellow voice and bold, dashing stylised movements had won her the epithet 'Peony of Luoyang' . Programme Details 17/7 7:30pm Mu Guiying Takes Command Main Cast: Guan Meili, Wang Hui (Guest), Jia Wenlong (Guest) , Zhao Xiaoxing, Liu Xiangyang In 1953, Ma Jinfeng, a leading figure in Yu Opera who is acclaimed as 'National Treasure', joined hands with playwright Song Ci to adapt the traditional play Expedition to the East at an Old Age into Mu Guiying Takes Command. The storyline focuses on Mu Guiying, now past 50, who once again takes command in a time of national peril. Ma’s brilliant performance triggered an immediate sensation in the operatic world and drew the attention of the Peking Opera legend, Mei Lanfang. He not only took her in as his disciple, but also introduced Mu Guiying Takes Command into the Peking Opera repertory, making it popular nationwide. As this year's 'City in Focus' highlight, Guan Meili, a first-generation disciple of Ma, revives the splendour of the Ma-school shuaidan style. As the curtain rises, Guan offers an awe-inspiring stage presence in her crimson warrior robe as a commanding war marshal. Her passionate singing adds depth to the character portrayal, which induces a feminine touch into her bravery and determination in fighting for the country again. Sharing the stage are Plum Blossom Award winners and Class One performers Wang Hui as Dowager She, and Jia Wenlong as the Song Emperor. The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes including an intermission of 15 minutes. 18/7 7:30pm Excerpts Emotional Outpouring at the South Camp from The Spear as a Token of Love, At the Imperial Court from Demanding Justice from the Emperor, Interrogating the Husband, The Ingenious County Magistrate, Setting Off for Battle from Five Generations of Loyal Generals Main Cast: Guan Meili, Wang Hui (Guest), Jia Wenlong (Guest), Bo Qing (Gues…