All-Female Hangzhou Yue Opera Company Comes to NYU's Skirball Center Tonight

The all-female ensemble Hangzhou Yue Opera Company transforms two classic Ibsen plays into lyrical adventures with Hedda (tonight, February 25) and The Lady from the Sea (February 26) at the second annual Visions + Voices Global Performance Series at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. This year's Visions + Voices will focus on China and will run from February 20-May 12, 2014.

Hangzhou Yue Opera Company presents:

[Opera]

Hedda (U.S. Premiere)

February 25 at 8pm

$28-$38

100 minutes

The Lady from the Sea (U.S. Premiere)

February 26 at 8pm

$28-$38

90 minutes

Related events:

Q&A (FOR PERFORMANCE ATTENDEES)

February 25, Post-8pm performance

Zhan Min, Director & Vice-President of Hangzhou Yue Opera Company

Hedda Performers & Playwrights

MASTER CLASS (PRIVATE CLASS)

With Hangzhou Yue Opera Company

February 24, Time TBA

Location: TBA

An all-female ensemble transforms two Ibsen classics into lyrical and musical adventures, with superbly stylized theatricality in one of the most popular Chinese opera genres.

Performed throughout China and Europe, Hangzhou Yue Opera Company's contemporary opera adaptations have been well-received across the globe. Hedda (based on Hedda Gabler) focuses on a highly intelligent woman, recently wed for practicality rather than love, whose jealousy leads her down a path to tragedy. The Lady from the Sea also examines a woman in a strained marriage, asked for the first time to truly examine her own desires. The pieces have been adapted to be set in China and their costumes, makeup, symbols and staging reflect a distinctive Chinese sensibility.

Yue Opera, performed by all female actors, is one of the most popular traditional operas in China. Beginning as a form of storytelling and ballad singing, it has evolved into a theatrical genre with the addition of dramatic structure and an orchestra. Yue Opera is particularly strong in its lyrical touch, with singing and gesturing as its main acting modes. Its arias follow certain patterns, which are delicate and beautiful, reflecting the special aura of southern China.

Related Event:
Q&A
February 25, post-performance of Hedda
Zhan Min, Director & Vice-President of Hangzhou Yue Opera Company
Hedda Performers & Playwrights

The Visions + Voices Global Performance Series is an annual performing arts series held at the NYU Skirball Center that creates a unique opportunity to celebrate and closely examine a singular world culture through a wide ranging artistic lens. This year's focus is China and highlights several artists who build upon cultural tradition while embracing modern perspectives. NYU Skirball believes that rich international programming not only excites New York audiences and the NYU community, but also serves as a catalyst for international dialogue and education. Celebrating the richness of NYU's global network of campuses, future seasons include partnerships with Germany, Israel, Abu Dhabi and London.

Other programs in the Visions + Voices series are:

· TAO Dance Theater's 4 and the U.S. Premiere of 5 (February 20-23); the works continue choreographer TAO Ye's journey of pushing the boundaries of corporeal expression.

· From March 26-30, the National Theatre of China, one of the new faces of 21st century Chinese theater, will debut a production of Richard III.

· On April 12, "The Piano in a Factory," a film by Zhang Meng, will be screened.

· The series will close on May 12 with Tan Dun's The Map performed by the NYU Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Cyr and featuring cellist Wendy Sutter.

· The series will open with an outdoor vitrine art exhibit featuring the works by Zhang Jianjun and Zhang Huan (presented in partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Wu Jian'an (presented in partnership with Chambers Gallery).

Michael Harrington, the center's Executive Director, said, "Each year Visions + Voices gives us the opportunity to explore and highlight the culture and creativity from a featured locale within NYU's Global Network. This year's Chinese artists and performers will showcase numerous works never before seen in America and we are thrilled to present them here in New York and offer opportunities for cultural discovery and understanding."

2013-14 marks the tenth season for NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. In its first decade, NYU Skirball has made substantial contributions not only to the community surrounding the country's largest private university, but also to a broader cultural landscape. In recent years, Michael Harrington has used the 860 seat venue to provide a platform for artists from around the world to practice their craft on a larger scale from the facility's Greenwich Village neighborhood. In addition to multiple-night and week runs (Cirkopolis, Othello, Waiting For Godot), NYU Skirball Center hosts a range of singular events, such as a dialogue between David Byrne & Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, and Stephen Sondheim & Tony Kushner, comedians such as Zach Galifianakis and Aziz Ansari, and musicians such as Esperanza Spalding and The Derek Trucks Band.

Tickets for Visions + Voices and the complete NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts season may be purchased online at www.nyuskirball.org, by phone at 212.352.3101 or 866.811.4111, or in person at the NYU Skirball Center Box Office: Tuesday-Saturday, 12:00-6:00 P.M.

The NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is located at 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square, New York, New York 10012. For more information, visit www.nyuskirball.org.

About NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts: NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is the premier venue for the presentation of cultural and performing arts events for New York University and lower Manhattan. Led by executive producer Jay Oliva (President Emeritus, NYU) and executive director Michael Harrington, the programs of NYU Skirball reflect NYU's mission as an international center of scholarship, defined by excellence and innovation and shaped by an intellectually rich and diverse environment. A vital aspect of the Center's mission is to build young adult audiences for the future of live performance. For more information, visit www.nyuskirball.org.