The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is a famous Tang dynasty poem about the tragic love of Emperor Li Longji and his concubine Yang Yuhuan. Although the story has been adapted many times, a new Huangmei Opera version has brought a fresh perspective. So let's take a look at the drama opera, currently showing at the Shanghai Grand Theater.
The romance of Emperor Li Longji and his concubine is widely known in China.
Regarded as one of ancient China's four beauties, Yang Yuhuan's love led the emperor to neglect his duties, with disastrous consequences. Faced with uprising and the collapse of his country, Emperor Li Longji was forced to let his concubine commit suicide. He himself died later of a broken heart.
Huangmei Opera is popular for being easy to understand. The language used is near to Mandarin Chinese, allowing audiences to soak up the story without too much effort.
And, as well as being popular with audiences, this current production has also gained official recognition. The Ministry of Culture has given it the New Drama Award.
(CCTV.com August 27, 2004)
