CHINA'S YU OPERA RETURNS TO LA STAGE

PRESS RELEASE:
USA - February 8, 2013
Written by Clarissa Sun

The Maeya Culture Exchange Group LLC (Maeya), in conjunction with ST Culture Advocacy and Henan Culture Department, is proud to announce the return of China's Henan Yu Opera No. 2 Troupe (Henan Opera Troupe). The troupe will be performing a much beloved work titled Cheng Ying Rescues the Orphan. The event will take place at 8 PM on February 22, 2013 at Warner Grand Theatre in Los Angeles.

The Henan Opera Troupe is no stranger to international stages. In 2008 the troupe was invited to Italy for the Rome CinaVicina Festival before touring in France, and in 2011 they performed in Los Angeles to critical acclaim. The troupe will make their Broadway debut on February 18, 2013.

"It's great performing once more in the US," says Maeya's Vice Chairwoman, Ms. Lynn Tang," this time is even more thrilling since we'll be making our Broadway debut and bringing this wonderful show to new audiences." She adds, "At the same time, we are equally excited to be back in Los Angeles again. We had such a positive response the last time and look forward to performing to audiences new and old."

Cheng Ying Rescues the Orphan follows the life of Cheng Ying, an imperial physician, who rescues an orphaned infant and the tragic events surrounding both of their families and pasts. The opera is based on The Orphan of Zhao, a well known Chinese play from the Yuan era.

The Orphan of Zhao is has been adapted and re-imagined in a variety of art forms; the most notable of which are, Cheng Kaige's 2010 film, "Zhao Shi Gu Er" (Sacrifice) and the recent Royal Shakespeare Company's play, The Orphan of Zhao.

The Henan Yu Opera No.2 Troupe was founded in 1956 and is currently led by the talented Li Shujian. Under Li's guidance the troupe has flourished and has received numerous national and international awards. The troupe is passionate about bringing Yu Opera to a wider audience and is dedicated to the preservation of this incredible art form.

The Warner Grand Theater is an extravagant, art deco movie-palace-turned-theater designed by architect, B. Marcus Priteca, and interior designer, A.T. Heinsbergen. In the early 1930s, Mr. Priteca and Mr. Heinsbergen designed similarly opulent art deco theaters; today, the Warner Grand Theater is the only original structure that remains from this collaboration. Mr. Pretica later went on to design the well-known Pantages Theater.

Tickets sales and information can be found on the production's official website: http://chineseopera.us/. The website will also provide detailed information on the cast and a synopsis of the story.