The spectacular costumes and performance of Beijing’s Peking Opera has graced the Darwin stage for an Australian exclusive.
Yesterday’s matinee performance was the first time the opera has visited the Top End since it began in 1790 in the province of Anhui — Darwin’s sister city.
It was one of four performances by the acclaimed company at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, with the final show tomorrow.
Sherry Zhang from Wu Productions said there was a long history of culture entrenched in the opera’s many different shows.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“The opera represent China and the culture,” she said.
“You can understand Chinese people very well through the opera — our thinking, our ideas, our long history.”
Ms Zhang said the entourage hoped the Darwin audiences were like the town’s early wet season — warm and welcoming.
“The weather is so hot, there’s 30 degree difference between Beijing and here,” she said.
“They hope the people here are like the weather — very warming and hot — like our shows,” she said.
Brightly dressed performers darted about back stage at the entertainment centre yesterday, including Li Wenltui and Chen Zeng who performed as monkeys in Monkey Makes Havoc in Heaven.
They were among an entourage of 70 performers and crew in Australia for the first time.
Tourism and Culture Minister Lauren Moss said the opera strengthened partnerships between the NT and China.
“This partnership provides an exciting opportunity to strengthen and grow our business, cultural and tourism networks with China,” Ms Moss said.
