REN MIAN TAO HUAN | Das Antlitz im Pfirsichblütenwald (The Face in the Peach Blossom Forest)

The Gui opera
Based in the Guangxi region, this opera is sung in the Guilin dialect. It combines the powerful style of Qi opera with the tenderness of regional Cai Cha melodies (tea-picking songs), and has reflected the cultural diversity of southern China for over 300 years.
The theatre of the Guangxi Autonomous Region places great emphasis on blending traditional stage techniques with modern aesthetics. Especially remarkable are the expertly crafted water loops and fan performances, featuring gracefully curved fabrics and fans that flow like clouds and wind– sometimes calm and gentle, other times vibrant and dramatic. The actors blend technical skill with emotional depth to showcase the full spectrum of this art form. This production takes the audience on a heartfelt journey through time, guiding them into a poetic world filled with love, sorrow and hope. The Gui opera masterfully combines tradition and contemporary stagecraft, reviving this timeless story in a fresh and captivating way.

The plot is inspired by the famous verse of Tang Dynasty poet Cui Hu: “The peach blossoms shimmer like the face of the one who once stood here.” It tells the touching love story of the scholar Cui Hu and the young woman Du Yichun – a love that transcends even the boundary between life and death. Unique aspects of the production include the “soul step” and “ghost costume” techniques, which vividly bring the afterlife to life on stage. Scenes like “The Poem at the Door” and “Return to the Peach Grove” transform classical Chinese poetry into striking visual drama.

Presented by: China Opera Research Society