Andrew Ribner/Food Editor
What says “springtime” more than taking a stroll through a garden? While we’re waiting for the weather to finally turn, the Theater Department is offering a substitute. “The Peony Pavilion,” which goes up this weekend in the CFA Theater, will not only take you through the beautiful change in seasons, but also will introduce you to a modern adaptation of the mesmerizing art form that is Chinese opera.
Tang Xianzu originally wrote “Peony Pavilion” in 1598. The Theater Department has spared us a 20-hour-long performance and instead offers a succinct 90-minute compilation of the piece, conceived and directed by Jeffrey Sichel. The show is performed in thestyle of yue opera, a more modern form of Chinese opera that came of age in the 20th century and is typically performed by an all-female cast. Yue opera was derived from Western influences, giving the Theater Department room to play with an enticing combination of east and west.
The stellar all-female ensemble is composed of Jahanara Alamgir ’15, Grace Herman-Holland ’15, Dominique Moore ’14, Leah Rosen ’13, Linsin Smith ’16, and Sarah Woolf ’16, most of whom switch roles throughout the performance. However, Rosen remains the ingénue throughout, perfectly capturing the sweet innocence of the character Du Liniang. Holland and Alamgir keep the show playful; one of Holland’s characters is a mischievous maid, and Alamgir sports a long beard as a firm teacher. Moore is a powerful presence, as she takes the role of multiple spiritual leaders. Woolf embraces some of the more serious roles in the show, and her singing is a pleasure to hear. While all of the performances are impressive, Smith takes on the challenging role of playing a male scholar for a majority of the show, skillfully embracing the masculinity of her character while maintaining the femininity of the show as a whole.
The individual performances certainly show off the refined acting and singing techniques of each actress, but the ensemble elements of the show create its special beauty. The opera switches between song and prose, allowing the ladies to sing in sweet harmony at pivotal plot moments. The entire show is precisely choreographed, with each step falling perfectly in time with the accompaniment. The show’s musical segment uses traditional Chinese instruments, including one played by recent alum Alan Rodi ’12.
The story is a tale of womanhood, exploring love, art, knowledge, life, and death. The performance sustains its femininity beyond the story line and into the costuming and set design. A soft rose-pink light covers the entire floor and cushioned seats for the audience in the box set. The women don flowing white robes for much of the show, emphasizing the grace in their movements. The lighting is also exquisite, framing picturesque moments that will leave you breathless.
“The Peony Pavilion” certainly takes experimental risks by mixing eastern and western art forms, but each move is justified in the beauty it creates. The musical elements are pleasant in their meticulous execution, but not so overpowering to take away from the other talents in the performance.
Make sure to see this ode to women and springtime this weekend in the CFA Theater. Tickets can be purchased for $4 with your WesID at the Box Office for performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., as well as a matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m.