 Valhalla, NY - As the second featured event in the “New World Voyager Series,” Westchester Community College (WCC) will celebrate the Chinese New Year with the Kung Fu Theatre performing “Tales from the Beijing Opera.”
This performance will take place on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 3:00 pm in the Academic Arts Theatre on the Valhalla Campus at Westchester Community College.
Beijing Opera is a comprehensive art form which combines dance, acrobatics, stage combat, mime and dialogue into a theatrical whole. The 90-minute show’s most impressive charm is the chance to see veteran professionals at work in this exotic style, turning somersaults and exhibiting martial arts moves in elaborate, colorful costumes. Various tales reflect simple comedy, animals portraying human behavior, historical warfare, betrayal and acts of heroism.
Beijing Opera is the most diverse of China’s performing arts. During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing was a center for theatrical activity, commerce and politics. Traveling opera companies came to Beijing to perform for traders and government officials eager to hear the music and dialects of their hometowns. Beijing Opera developed as an amalgamation of several of the most popular of these regional forms. It has a reputation for being rowdy and colorful. The costumes and makeup are elaborate, but the scenery and props are sparse. A chair or table may double as a mountain. A tasseled crop represents a horse. A paddle indicates a boat. Three circles around the stage is the equivalent of a long journey. These conventions give Beijing Opera an atmosphere of magic and simplicity. Stories are often taken from history, mythology and literature. Martial plays feature battle scenes with famous generals, heroic outlaws or women warriors. Civil plays focus on dance and mime, and can be comic skits or tragic drama.
The third performance in the “New World Voyager Series” features The “Magic of Ireland” on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 8:00pm in the Academic Arts Theatre. Single tickets for “Tales of The Beijing Opera” and The “Magic of Ireland” are $20 (for general admission), $17 (for student/ seniors) and $12 (for children under 13).
For tickets or information on these shows and the many other exciting cultural events, call 914- 606-6262.
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