BEIJING, March 20 -- Shenzhen Grand Theater was packed Sunday night for a show staged by the Beijing Opera House. The show, "The Brocade Pouch", recorded by CCTV Channel 11, will be broadcast Saturday in "Theater on Air".

    "The Brocade Pouch" is a representative of Cheng Yanqiu's works, an original opera performed by the late master. Weng Ouhong wrote the script of the show in 1940, when it was first performed at the Golden Theater in Shanghai. The opera was staged again at the Chang¡¯an Grand Theater in April 1941.

    The local audience applauded many times during the show, with its leading role Xue Xiang-ling performed by famous Beijing opera actress Chi Xiaoqiu. Yan Shouping, veteran Beijing opera player, led the band.

    Known as a "typical representative of Cheng Yanqiu's art," Chi is highly skillful in her unique way of singing Beijing opera innovated by Cheng.

    Her singing was soft and pleasing, firm but gentle, and it deeply affected the audience's emotions. Like her predecessors, Chi also showed her expertise in expressing the character's feelings and portraying Xue vividly by the looks in her eyes and her body movement. Her sophisticated use of the water sleeve was very impressive.

    The opera show, taking a traditional "kind-hearted people getting rewarded" plotline, was convincing in portraying the characters.

    Xue Xiangling, a young lady from a wealthy family, has been very picky in choosing her dowry before her wedding. But kind-hearted Xue gives a brocade pouch filled with precious jewels as gift to poor Zhao Shouzhen, who she meets in a pavilion while sheltering from a shower and who is getting married on the same day.

    Six years later, Xue is separated from her family after a flood in her hometown Dengzhou.

    She then travels to Laizhou, where she is accepted as a maid to a wealthy family, and is recognized by Zhao, the family's hostess who repays Xue¡¯s earlier kindness by giving back her brocade pouch, still containing the precious jewels.

    The show also left the audience contemplating how time changes everything and laughing at mime actors who vividly portrayed the snobs flattering the wealthy and despising the poor.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)