SHOW

Donizetti's L'elisir d'Amore－NCPA Opera Festival 2015

Date: July 9-12－7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 100-880 yuan

The story takes place in a small Italian village about two centuries ago. A poor peasant Nemorino is in love with Adina but the beautiful landowner torments Nemorino with her indifference. Nemorino is also afraid she loves the self-important Sergeant Belcore who appears with his regiment and immediately proposes marriage to Adina in front of everyone. The traveling quack salesman, Dulcamara arrives, selling his bottled "love potion" to the townspeople. Nemorino drinks it, feeling its effects immediately. His confidence that he will win Adina causes him to act indifferently toward her. This upsets Adina and she ups the ante as well by agreeing to Sergeant Belcore's alternate suggestion: that they marry immediately as he has just received orders that the regiment must ship off the next morning.

Contact: 400-610-3721

Andrea Chénier

Date: May 30-31－7:30 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 (1762-94), who was executed during the French Revolution. On March 28, 1896,

Andrea Chénier was premiered at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan. 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 Kings

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