Kun Opera: The Jade Hairpin 玉簪記 and Other Highlights

Kun opera, or kunqu, is one of the oldest and most refined forms of opera in China. The genre was a popular leisure activity staged in the private garden residences of Suzhou during the 16th through 18th centuries.

Saturday Performance

Features scenes from The Jade Hairpin. Written by the Ming dynasty playwright Gao Lian 高濂, it tells the love story of the young scholar Pan Bizheng and the Daoist nun Chen Miaochang. Scenes include “Flirting with a Zither” 琴挑, “Visiting the Sick One” 問病, and “Stealing a Poem” 偷詩.

Sunday Performance

Features a selection of classic Kun opera repertoire including the scenes “Captured Alive” from the Water Margin 水滸記・活捉, “A Portrait Retried” from the Peony Pavilion 牡丹亭・拾畫叫畫 , and “An Unsightly Surprise” from Mistake with a Kite 風箏誤・驚丑.

This program is co-organized by The Huntington and the Chinese Kwun Opera Society. Generous support is provided by the Justin Vajna Memorial Fund for Educational Programs in the Chinese Garden.