London Jing Kun Opera Association 12 Year Anniversary Photo Book

London Jing Kun Opera Association 2002-2014: A Photographic Retrospective Twelve Years of Promoting and Practising Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera in the UK

倫敦京崑研習社十二年回顧

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Mission London Jing Kun Opera Association (LJKOA) is a not-forprofit organisation. We promote the appreciation, understanding and practice of Chinese Jingju (Peking Opera) and Kunqu Opera through educational workshops, talks, demonstrations, classes and performances. We aim to make these multi-faceted art forms accessible to artists of all disciplines and to the general public.

Table of contents

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Board and Administration 管理及行政

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Landmarks 里程碑

Page 1

i) Venice Biennale Theatre Carnival 2006 2-4

ii) Malta 2006

5-7

iii) 5th Anniversary Performance 2007 8-11

iv) Incorporation 2007 12-13

v) CHINA NOW Workshop Series 2008 14-16

vi) Costume Exhibition 2011 17

vii) 10th Anniversary Series of 6 Talks 2012 18-25

viii) 10th Anniversary Performance 2012 26-33

ix) Public Recognition 34

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

35-39

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses & Classes 40-44 示範講座及課程

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Activities for Members 會員活動

45-50

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Further Learning in China 中國深造

51

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Repertoire Development and Performances 52-76 劇目及公演

Board and management (voluntary) 管理及行政 2002-2007 (Pre-incorporation years) Founding Chairman Kathy Hall Committee Members Kevin Zhang Hai Li

Ying Wan (02-06) Lawrence Lau (06-07) Co-opted Member and Business Advisor Sennen Chiu 2007-2014 Chairman

Lady Katy (Tse) Blair (2007-2010) Dr Rachel Harris (2010 -2014)

Vice Chairman

Sennen Chiu (2007-2008) Dr Rachel Harris (2008-2010) Alan Murray (2010-2013) Dr Ping Hua (2013-2014)

Board Member

Dr Rachel Harris (2007-2008) Alan Murray (2008-2010) Lady Katy (Tse) Blair (2010-2011) Dr Ping Hua (2011-2013) Yee-Fun Mak Lord (2013-2014)

Executive Team

Kathy Hall – Chief Executive Kevin Zhang – Programme Lawrence Lau/Sukyi Ma – Finance (07/08; 08/09) Hai Li – Membership (2007-2010) Jenny Yan, Sukyi Ma (2010-2014) – Membership

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Landmarks 里程碑 Venice Biennale 2006 威尼斯雙年展

Venice Biennale Theatre Carnival – the 38th International Festival of Contemporary Theatre, 23-28.2.2006 威尼斯雙年展第38届國際當代戲劇節2006

The Face-Painting Team (L-R) Kevin Zhang, Maggie Kwan, Max Lee, Sin-Man Yue, Kathy Hall, Jessica Hall, Alison Richards, Ruijun Hu

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Venice Biennale 2006 威尼斯雙年展

Chinese opera face-painting at the Teatro Goldoni and the Atrio Fonderie (Arsenale) for 6 days 京劇臉譜繪描六天整 5

Venice Biennale 2006 威尼斯雙年展

Kunqu Opera excerpts from The Startling Dream and In Pursuit of the Dream from The Peony Pavilion at the Corderie dell’ Arsenale for 6 evenings. <牡丹亭 - 驚夢· 尋夢> 選段演出六晚

Actors: Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang 演員：李惠馨 ，張克蔚

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LJKOA in Valetta, Malta 瓦莱塔，馬爾他

Peking Opera Talk and Demonstrations presented by the Chinese Cultural Centre Malta and Heritage Malta, in conjunction with the 28.1-29.3 Exhibition of Peking Opera Figurines in Malta

Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera Talk and Demonstration, the National Museum of Archaeology, 21.3.2006

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LJKOA in Valetta, Malta 瓦莱塔，馬爾他

Opera demonstration and workshop for children, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, 22.3.2006

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LJKOA in Valetta, Malta 瓦莱塔，馬爾他

Performance for H.E. Ambassador Liu Zhengxiu of The People’s Republic of China to Malta, and the President of Malta, at the Chinese Cultural Centre Malta, 23.3.2006

Interview with Malta Educational Television, 22.3.2006

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LJKOA 5th Anniversary Performance 五週年社慶公演 Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, London, 16.9.2007

Performances

by Chongxin Cao, Dr Marnix Wells, Haili Sun, and children of Zenghui Qiu, professional jinghu musician

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Lady Katy (Tse) Blair, Chairman of the incorporated LJKOA, addressing the audience

5th Anniversary Performance 五週年社慶公演

Performances by Gillian Simpson, Hai Li, Xiaohang Gong, Dr Ping Hua and Kevin Zhang

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5th Anniversary Performance 五週年社慶公演

Qin Liang (professional actor), sword dance, The King Bids Farewell to his Favourite

Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang, The Parting at the Kiln 12

5th Anniversary Performance 五週年社慶公演

The Parting at the Kiln (for more pictures of this scene, please see Repertoire Development and Performances, p27 - 29, 72 - 75)

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LJKOA Incorporation Reception, Asia House, 17.10.2007 注册公司成立慶祝招待會

Board and Executives (L-R) Kevin Zhang, Hai Li, Lady Katy (Tse) Blair, Dr Rachel Harris, Kathy Hall, Sennen Chiu, Lawrence Lau

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Qin Liang in the sword dance from The King Bids Farewell to his Favourite

LJKOA Incorporation Reception, Asia House, 17.10.2007 注册公司成立慶祝招待會

Musicians: Zenghui Qiu, Haishuo Liu and Kevin Zhang

The 2002 founding committee of LJKOA, Ying Wan, Kathy Hall, Hai Li and Kevin Zhang 15

CHINA NOW Festival Education Programme 2008 sponsored by HSBC Education Foundation《時代中國》匯豐銀行教育基金會贊助 This Education Programme was part of the largest festival of Chinese culture in the UK, aiming to raise China awareness in the runup to the Olympics in Beijing 2008.

LJKOA was sponsored to give China Day workshops in 29 schools UK-wide. 3 workshop leaders were sent to each school which selected any 3 options from Music, Opera Movements, Opera Face-painting, Story-telling, Calligraphy and Brush Painting. The most popular were Opera Movements and Calligraphy/Brush Painting.

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CHINA NOW Festival Education Programme 《時代中國》 學校工作坊

The CHINA NOW workshops took our artists to: -Bolton -Bootle -Buckinghamshire -Cardiff -Cornwall -Henley in Arden -Isle of Wight (4 schools) -Kent -Greater London (11 schools) -Norfolk -Newcastle -Plaistow -Somerset -Trafford -West Berkshire -Wiltshire

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CHINA NOW Festival Education Programme 《時代中國》 學校工作坊

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Opera Costumes Exhibition

京劇服装展覽-亞洲音樂巡回主辦

6-7.2011 Enter Stage Right, Peking Opera Costumes Exhibition, an Asian Music Centre and LJKOA collaboration, curated by Jessica Hall. This was the first major exhibition of Chinese Opera costumes in the UK, with full explanations in English and Chinese.

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10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 A series of 6 talks with demonstrations and performances

Talk 1: The Art of the Kunqu Opera Guimendan (Refined Young Lady Role)

Sponsored by the UK Research and Development Centre for Chinese Traditional Culture (UKCTC), at the UK Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, London

英國中國傳统文化研究院贊助主辦六 项示範講座及演出

Sherry Kuei Chan, Dean of UKCTC and Dr Rachel Harris, Chair of LJKOA at the opening of the talk series

Far left: Speaker and actor Kathy Hall

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Left: The LJKOA Kunqu ensemble

10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 2: Opera Percussion

Speaker Ying Wan and the opera percussion learners’ group 21

10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 3: The Four Great Peking Opera Dan Performers of the 20th Century

Speaker: Dr Jun Ai Actor: Gillian Simpson Movement demonstration: Kathy Hall

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10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 4: Performances by LJKOA students and members

Top right: Lang Xiao Right: Jenny Yan Far rght: Ming Lu, Dr Jun Ai

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10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 4: Performances by LJKOA students and members

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Top: Group singing Bottom row: Dr Ping Hua, Kevin Zhang, Dr Marnix Wells, Rafael Caro Repetto, Chongxin Cao

10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 5: Opera Dan Make-up

Speaker and make-up artist: Kathy Hall Model: Z Chen

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10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 6: Peking Opera Laosheng (The Older Male Role)

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Speaker and actor: Kevin Zhang

10th Anniversary Celebrations 2012, London 十週年社慶系列活動 Talk 6: Peking Opera Laosheng (The Older Male Role)

Top right: Dr Chan Cheng with Zenghui Qiu Centre right: Dr Rachel Harris Bottom right: Learning horsewhip movements Right: Sherry Kuei Chan 27

10th Anniversary Performance at the Rudolf Steiner Theatre 十週年社慶公演 27.10.2012 Performance at the Rudolf Steiner Theatre, made possible with private donations from UK and Hong Kong

Top row: Peking Opera solo singers Chongxin Cao, Haili Sun and Dr Ping Hua Right: LJKOA Chair Dr Rachel Harris

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10th Anniversary Performance 十週年社慶公演 Peking Opera The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯 Actors: Kevin Zhang and Ming Lu

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The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯

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The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯

Bottom right: Peking Opera Ensemble - Ruard Absaroka, Haishuo Liu, Qi Zhang, Zenghui Qiu, Ying Wan, Jenny Yan 31

10th Anniversary Performance 十週年社慶公演 Kunqu Opera The Foolish Dream from the Broken Axe Mountain 爛柯山·痴夢

Actors: Kathy Hall, Kevin Zhang, Ming Lu, Ming Qiang Xie, Yuan Feng, Kwong Loke

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The Foolish Dream 痴夢

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The Foolish Dream 痴夢

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The Foolish Dream 痴夢

Above from left: Kunqu ensemble: Paul Kendall, Rong Liu, Jack Footitt, Ying Wan, Jenny Yan, and Ruard Absaroka (not seen)

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Public Recognition 公眾認可 2003 L B Merton named LJKOA as one of three artists/organisations ‘with proven commitment to promoting and practising quality ethnic arts’. For this, we received funding and subsidy-in-kind from cross-borough (Merton/Kingston) Capacity-building Programme in personal/ organisational development. We spent the cash award on IT training for Committee Members.

2005 LJKOA was a joint-winner for the Best Overall Entry award at the Bridge House and Media Trust Better Communications Awards 2005.

The cash prize was used to print LJKOA publicity postcards and to purchase two belt-pack radio microphone systems, which have served us well over the years.

2004-5 Kathy Hall was among the one hundred Churchill Fellows to receive the silver Churchill Fellow Medallion from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

2005 With the Fellowship award, Kathy spent a month in Hangzhou to learn the virtuoso Kunqu opera lady’s solo scene, In Pursuit of the Dream from the Ming classic, The Peony Pavilion, from Wang Fengmei.

Wang is considered by many to be the finest exponent of the Gui Men Dan (‘refined young lady’) role.

2010 Kathy received an Honorary Member Award 2010 from The 48 Group Club ‘The Icebreakers’ for ‘outstanding contributions to Sino-British relationship’. The ceremony was held at the Embassy of The People’s Republic of China. H.E. Liu Xiaoming, PRC Ambassador to Britain, presented the awards.

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

School Residencies organised

by Cultural Co-operation

Left and below: The Story of the White Snake - designed and taught by Kathy Hall, Kevin Zhang, and Zenghui Qiu

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Workshops and School Residencies 工作坊及駐校計劃

School Residency organised by Yellow Earth Theatre - The Story of Hou Yi, designed and taught by Kathy Hall

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses and Classes 示範講座及課程

Sword Dance

by Kevin Zhang

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses and Classes 示範講座及課程

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses and Classes 示範講座及課程

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses and Classes 示範講座及課程

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Lecture Demonstrations, Courses and Classes 示範講座及課程

Peking Opera Course, SOAS World Music Summer School taught

by Kathy Hall, Kevin Zhang, Zenghui Qiu and Haishuo Liu

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Activities for Members 會員活動

The first singing workshop of LJKOA, Harrow, 2002

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Activities for Members 會員活動

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Right: Dr Ping Hua with actor, Yue Feng, at the Dalian Amateur Peking Opera Festival in 2007

Activities for Members 會員活動

Members’ Concert, 2010, at The Islington Chinese Association

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Activities for Members 會員活動

Members’ Concert, 2010

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Activities for Members 會員活動

Fan Class taught by Qin Liang

In loving memory of Mr S L Pang (below left) and Mr H J Yang (below right), two wonderful supporters of LJKOA, who have sadly passed away

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Activities for Members 會員活動

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Further Learning in China 中國深造

Ying Wan and Kathy Hall were supported by Grants for All, Arts Council of England (London), 2008 to further their respective skills in percussion and Kunqu opera performance from experts in Beijing and Shanghai.

Above and above right: Ying Wan with percussion teacher Luo Wenyou.

Right and far right: Kathy Hall learning In Pursuit of the Dream from Wang Fengmei, top Gui Men Dan (refined young lady) actor, Zhejiang Kunju Opera Troupe, 2005. Kathy was supported by a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship 2004.

Above: Kathy Hall learning The Foolish Dream from top actor Liang Guyin, Shanghai Kunju Troupe

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 Before the performance… 前…

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 …and after …與後

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 Solo male role performances 生行展演, at The British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, The West Wing, and Museum of Docklands

Actor: Kevin Zhang

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 Performance for LJKOA first anniversary: The Jade Bracelet 拾玉鐲, The Stroll in the Garden (The Peony Pavilion) 牡丹亭·遊園 , The Dream in the Spring Boudoir 春閨夢, at the Polka Theatre, London

Actors: Kevin Zhang and Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Temple of the Mountain God 野猪林·山神廟, at The National Centre for Early Music The Broken Bridge (The Story of the White Snake) 白蛇傳·斷橋, at University of Sheffield

Actors: Kevin Zhang and Kathy Hall

Peking Opera ensemble rehearsing

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Drunken Imperial Concubine 貴妃醉酒, at The National Portrait Gallery, The West Wing, and SOAS

Actors: Kevin Zhang and Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Drunken Imperial Concubine 貴妃醉酒, at The Islington Chinese Association and The Victoria and Albert Museum

Actors: Kevin Zhang and Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The King Bids Farewell to His Favourite 霸王別姬, at The Waterfront Studio Belfast, The Purcell Room, and the National Centre for Early Music

Actor: Qin Liang

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The King Bids Farewell to His Favourite 霸王別姬, at SOAS

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Actors: Qin Liang and Kevin Zhang

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers 天女散花, at The British Museum, Waterfront Studio Belfast, and the Purcell Room, Southbank

Actor: Qin Liang

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers 天女散花, at The Waterfront Studio Belfast

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Actor: Qin Liang

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 At the Palace (Fourth Son Visits His Mother) 四郎探母·坐宫, at SOAS

Actors: Kevin Zhang, Ming Lu, Qin Liang

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 At the Palace (Fourth Son Visits His Mother) 四郎探母·坐宫, at The Victoria and Albert Museum

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Actors: Ming Lu and Kevin Zhang

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 In Praise of Flowers (The Water-seller) 賣水·表花, at SOAS

Actors: Qin Liang and Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The River View Pavilion 望江亭, at The Purcell Room Southbank

Actor: Ming Lu Musicians: Qi Zhang, Zenghui Qiu, Ying Wan, Haishuo Liu

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Assassination of the Tiger General 鐵冠圖·刺虎, at The National Centre for Early Music and The Purcell Room, Southbank

Actor: Kathy Hall Left: Kunqu ensemble rehearsing

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Foolish Dream (The Broken Axe Mountain) 爛柯山·痴夢, at SOAS

In loving memory of Mr. Alan Murray (second left) LJKOA Vice-Chair who has sadly passed away.

Actors: Kathy Hall, Kevin Zhang, Qin Liang, Mei-che Liu, Yang Liu and Jisheng Zhang 70

Alan was a staunch and deeply valued supporter of the association, and his friendship and guidance is greatly missed.

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Startling Dream (Peony Pavilion) 牡丹亭·驚夢, at The West Wing and The Polka Theatre

Actors: Kevin Zhang and Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Startling Dream (Peony Pavilion) 牡丹亭·驚夢, at The Museum of East Asian Art in Bath, Tate Britain, Hyde Park, and The British Museum

Actors: Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 In Pursuit of the Dream (Peony Pavilion) 牡丹亭·尋夢, at Chopsticks Club, University of Kingston, University of Sheffield, SOAS, and Tate Britain

Actor: Kathy Hall

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯, at The National Centre for Early Music

LJKOA invested time and resources in developing this scene, supported by grants from Awards for All and Arts Council England (London) between 2004 and 2007.

This has remained an important item in our repertoire over the years.

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Actors: Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang Music arranger: Ying Wan

Peking Opera ensemble in performance

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯, at The Waterfront Studio Belfast

Actors: Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang

Peking Opera ensemble in performance

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯, at The Linbury Studio - Royal Opera House

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Actors: Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang

Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 The Parting at the Kiln 平貴别窯, at The University of Sheffield

Actors: Qin Liang and Kevin Zhang

Peking Opera ensemble in performance

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Repertoire Development and Performances 劇目及公演 Number of times performed as a complete scene or as excerpts The Startling Dream (Kunqu) 33 Male Role Showcase 31 In Pursuit of the Dream (Kunqu) 27 The Drunken Imperial Concubine 20 Sword dance from The King Bids Farewell to his Favourite 17 The Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers 7 The Parting at the Kiln 7 At the Palace 5 The Jade Bracelet 5 In Praise of Flowers 4 The Foolish Dream (Kunqu)

4 The Dream in the Spring Boudoir 3 The Assassination of the Tiger General (Kunqu) 3 The Temple of the Mountain God 2 The Stroll in the Garden (Kunqu) 1 The Kings bids Farewell to his Favourite 1 The River View Pavilion 1 The Broken Bridge 1 (We also performed The Broken Bridge twice before LJKOA was formed.)

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Managing legacy and change: the way forward London Jing Kun Opera Association will be dissolved as from 31.3.2014 due to changing circumstances.

Our website will be kept as it is for the next five years, with no new additions. Our artists are contactable via the ‘Contact Us’ page, and we will carry on performing and teaching. Our twelve years’ work has put Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera permanently on the cultural map in the UK

Acknowledgements LJKOA is grateful for the dedication and support of: -our Board of Directors, the Executive Team and members (2002-2014) -our colleagues in the arts at home and abroad -our donors and public funders Photo credit in first name alphabetical order: Andreas Busch TnLpiks@gmail.com Chengrong Zhang David Rowe www.davidrowephotography.co.uk Jagroop Singh Jessica Hall www.jessica-hall.com Kelda Hole www.keldahole.com Kunzhang Guo Maaike Stevens

Kathy Hall and Kevin Zhang from LJKOA welcomed and assisted the China National Peking Opera Company on its 2005 UK tour with top stars Li Shengsu, Yu Kuizhi and Yang Chi

Marcin Wilkowski Mohammad Azadehfar Nancy Mok www.nancymok.com Ronnie Moore www.ronniemoore.co.uk Simon Richardson www.simonrichardson.org (with special thanks) Steve Franck www.stevefranck.com Theimagefile.com Toby Evans Xiang Li xlukuk@yahoo.com Xiao Lang Yazid Missouri With apologies to anyone inadvertently omitted Designed by Jessica Hall. Printed by DCW Penrose.

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www.londonjingkunopera.co.uk 80

info@londonjingkunopera.co.uk