The Chinese musical drama is a performance art incorporating singing, recitation, acting, dancing, acrobatics, martial arts, and pantomime. It takes root in ancient times. Today, there are over three hundred unique kinds of local operas in China.

The Princess’s Messenger is an adaptation of the original play from the Cantonese Opera repertoire. Going back to the times of the Tang dynasty, this legend tells the story of scholar Liu Yi meeting a young girl tending the sheep. The girl turns out to be the Dragon King’s princess. The story glorifies faithfulness and yearning for happy love.

The Cantonese Opera is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is considered one of the most melodic. Originating in southern China’s Guangdong Province, this opera genre, performed in the Cantonese dialect, also gained popularity in Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia.

In this book, you will also:

• find an artistic analysis of the play’s libretto
• get to know the symbols in the play
• see the costumes that actors wear on stage
• learn about the musical instruments played during the performance