Bao Yu (tenor Yijie Shi) and Dai Yu (soprano Pureum Jo) in a scene from Dream of the Red Chamber, staged by San Francisco Opera in a co-production with Hong Kong Arts Festival. Photo: Cory Weaver
Dream of the Red Chamber – the popular 18th-century Chinese literary classic written by Cao Xueqin – has been told and retold through so many media and art forms that any trip down this well-trodden path risks banality and predictability.
But that has not stopped the San Francisco Opera from adapting this romantic, political tale, which follows the fortunes of several aristocratic families in Qing dynasty China. For its general director, David Gockley, it’s high time Western audiences get to know this masterpiece. No expense was spared in forming a dream team of artistic collaborators and star singers, or in crafting elaborate sets and costumes.
Read more at South China Morning Post