Between April 15 and 18, the symphonic Peking Opera, "Concubine Yang of the Tang Dynasty" ("Datang Guifei"), will be staged at one of Beijing's best art houses, the Poly Theatre in Dongsi Shitiao.

Playwright Weng Xingzai said the work is a combination of "Tales of Concubine Yang" ("Taizhen Waizhuan") and "The Drunken Beauty" ("Guifei Zuijiu") - two signature plays of the Mei Lanfang school.

Mei Lanfang was one of the most important artists in Peking Opera history. Next year will be the 110th anniversary of his birth.

Despite the efforts of Mei and many other virtuosi and enthusiastic fans of Peking Opera, this ancient genre is being directly challenged these days by films, television, computer games, performances in bars and other kinds of entertainment these days.

Insiders have been trying hard to attract audiences back to the theatre, especially the young, back to the theatre. Rearranging the opera to the accompaniment of a Western symphony orchestra has been considered an effective solution by some.

"Concubine Yang of the Tang Dynasty" was certainly a success when it was played at the opening ceremony of the 2001 Shanghai International Art Festival.

Mei Lanfang's son Mei Baojiu, who is also a renowned Peking Opera artist, stars as the old Yang Guifei, while the young Yang Guifei is played by Shi Min.

(China Daily March 27, 2003)