Andrea Chénier

Date: May 28-31－7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 100-880 yuan

Andrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier (1762-1794), who was executed during the French Revolution. On March 28, 1896, Andrea Chénier was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. It remains popular with audiences, though it is now less frequently performed than it was during the first half of the 20th Century. One reason that the opera has stayed in the repertoire is due to the magnificent lyric-dramatic music provided by Giordano for the tenor lead, which gives a talented singer many opportunities to demonstrate his histrionic skill and flaunt his voice.

Contact: 400-610-3721

China Puppet Art Theater True and False Monkey King

Date: May 30－2:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 160-280 yuan

In The True and False Monkey Kings, Monkey King's master, the Tang Priest Xuanzang, is waylaid by a band of robbers on his journey to India. Monkey King kills all the robbers, but the Master accuses him of being too cruel and sends him away. After Monkey King leaves, a six-eared Macaque dresses up as the Monkey King and come to steal the Master's belongings. Guanyin the Goddess to Mercy sends Monkey King back to subdue the imposter, but the two monkeys are so alike that no one, in Heaven or on Earth, can tell which one is the true Monkey King. Finally, the two are brought before Sakyamuni Buddha who sees through the macaque's disguise and exposes him. Before he can escape, Monkey strikes him down with his golden rod.

E-mail: ponypiao@damai.cn