Chinese Kunqu Opera: Peony Pavilion-part-7.2

青春版牡丹亭-自画像 Self Portrait

With plum blossoms in her hand, Du Liniang sings that the person of her dream is nowhere to be found while she pines away for love. When she looks into a mirror that Chunxiang holds up for her, she is startled by her haggard image. She decides to paint a self-portrait before her beauty passes away. She pours her whole self into this task, which is a celebration of her beauty, a channel for her love, and an act of defiance against the passage of time. By painting her own portrait, Du Liniang boldly affirms her own existence and the validity of her emotions. The playwright suggests that emotions can be fulfilled only when acted upon.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• China
• Chinese
• Opera
• Kunqu
• opera
• culture
• 白先勇
• 沈丰英
• 俞玖林
• 昆曲
• 戲劇
• 戏剧
• 戏曲