Shanghai Daily news

``Annals of the Three Kingdoms'' (220-280 AD) is familiar to all Chinese. The various characters, the ingenious military strategies and the battle scenes have appealed to readers for thousands of years. Now a Peking Opera -- ``Journey through Hell'' -- has been composed to present the historic epic in a new form.
Staged by the Guoguang Opera Company from Taiwan, the opera is part of this year's Shanghai International Arts Festival. The production team has combined modern concepts and rhythms with the traditional Peking Opera form, endowing it with a contemporary flavor for today's audiences.
For the play's music, the team invited a folk music troupe to collaborate with traditional Peking Opera accompanists. A great deal of effort went into the costumes, stage settings and lighting with some remarkable breakthroughs.
In 1995, a group of top-line Peking Opera actors established the opera company in Taiwan. To open up a new chapter in Chinese opera history, the company has subtly incorporated modern theatrical approaches into its plays, skillfully diversifying traditional stage art. As well as its innovative approaches, the company also stages operas from the traditional repertoire. To strengthen cross-strait cultural exchanges of Peking Opera works, the company has cooperated on an equal footing with Peking Opera troupes and theaters on Chinese mainland and has presented many joint performances over the years.

Date: October 28-29, 7:15pm
Venue: Yifu Theater, 701 Fuzhou Rd
Tickets: 60-300 yuan
Tel: 6322-5294