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Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe Debuts in Hong Kong as Chinese Culture Festival Highlights Luoyang
When the evening lights of Hong Kong glow, the Ko Shan Theatre New Wing (KSTNW) will welcome a living legend from the heart of China.
The 2026 Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) has chosen Luoyang as its focal city, and the Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe will make its Hong Kong debut during the festival. Two performances are scheduled at the KSTNW auditorium: the full‑length play Mu Guiying Takes Command on Friday, 17 July at 7:30 p.m., and a five‑excerpt program on Saturday, 18 July at the same time.
Mu Guiying Takes Command is a signature masterpiece of Ma Jinfeng, the legendary creator of the shuaidan (military‑leading female) role type in Yu opera. The story follows the legendary heroine Mu Guiying, who, past fifty, dons armor and leads an army in a time of national peril. The production features Guan Meili in the title role, a performance that earned her the Leading Role Award at the 33rd Shanghai Magnolia Stage Performance Awards. Supporting roles include Wang Hui as Dowager She and Jia Wenlong as the Song Emperor. The play is noted for its powerful aria “Three Cannon Blasts Beyond the Command Gate,” which showcases Mu’s determination to protect the country.
The Saturday program presents five excerpts that illustrate the diversity of Yu opera’s stylistic schools. Audiences will hear the Ma‑school classic Emotional Outpouring at the South Camp from The Spear as a Token of Love, the comic At the Imperial Court from Demanding Justice from the Emperor, the Yan (Liping) school work Interrogating the Husband, the comic The Ingenious County Magistrate, and the Chang (Xiangyu) school piece Setting Off for Battle from Five Generations of Loyal Generals.
The Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe was established in 2010 but traces its lineage to the Luoyang City Yu Opera Troupe founded in the 1950s and the Second Luoyang City Yu Opera Troupe formed in the late 1980s. The troupe is known for its Ma‑school style and has produced popular works such as Mu Guiying Takes Command, Demanding Justice from the Emperor, The Spear as a Token of Love, and Luoyang Bridge. Mu Guiying Takes Command received the National Outstanding Traditional Opera Script Award and several first prizes at the first Henan Provincial Drama Festival.
Tickets for the two performances are available in three price tiers—$190, $290 and $390—through URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). The CCF offers group and package discounts, as well as a new “Generations Together 1+1” promotion. For programme enquiries or concessionary schemes, callers may contact 2268 7325 or visit the CCF website.
A meet‑the‑artists session titled “On the Development and Dissemination of Yu Opera – A Legacy from Luoyang, Henan” will take place on Thursday, 16 July at 7:30 p.m. in AC2, Level 4 of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Speakers include Guan Meili, Wang Hui, Jia Wenlong, Bo Qing, Chen Dahua and Liu Yalin, with Giovanna Wu moderating. Admission is free, but online registration is required; a standby list will be opened if the registration capacity is reached.
The festival also features two “Chinese Culture for All” sessions for local primary and secondary schools on Friday, 17 July at 10:30 a.m. and noon. The troupe will perform Yu opera excerpts such as Huarong Pass from The Righteous and the Loyal and On the Way to Battle from Hua Mulan, accompanied by demonstrations and guided appreciation. Schools interested in participating may call 2268 7325.
The CCF is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). The festival’s aim is to promote Chinese culture, strengthen national identity and cultural confidence, and provide opportunities for the public to experience traditional Chinese arts. The 2026 edition runs from June to September and includes over 280 performances, film screenings, exhibitions, talks, workshops and community activities.
All performances will feature Chinese and English surtitles. The Ko Shan Theatre New Wing auditorium, which opened in 2014, has a 596‑seat capacity and is designed to enhance audience experience.
In summary, the Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe’s Hong Kong debut is a key highlight of the CCF 2026, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness classic Yu opera in its authentic Ma‑school style. Tickets are on sale, and the festival continues to provide educational and cultural outreach programs for schools and the wider community.
The 2026 Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) has chosen Luoyang as its focal city, and the Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe will make its Hong Kong debut during the festival. Two performances are scheduled at the KSTNW auditorium: the full‑length play Mu Guiying Takes Command on Friday, 17 July at 7:30 p.m., and a five‑excerpt program on Saturday, 18 July at the same time.
Mu Guiying Takes Command is a signature masterpiece of Ma Jinfeng, the legendary creator of the shuaidan (military‑leading female) role type in Yu opera. The story follows the legendary heroine Mu Guiying, who, past fifty, dons armor and leads an army in a time of national peril. The production features Guan Meili in the title role, a performance that earned her the Leading Role Award at the 33rd Shanghai Magnolia Stage Performance Awards. Supporting roles include Wang Hui as Dowager She and Jia Wenlong as the Song Emperor. The play is noted for its powerful aria “Three Cannon Blasts Beyond the Command Gate,” which showcases Mu’s determination to protect the country.
The Saturday program presents five excerpts that illustrate the diversity of Yu opera’s stylistic schools. Audiences will hear the Ma‑school classic Emotional Outpouring at the South Camp from The Spear as a Token of Love, the comic At the Imperial Court from Demanding Justice from the Emperor, the Yan (Liping) school work Interrogating the Husband, the comic The Ingenious County Magistrate, and the Chang (Xiangyu) school piece Setting Off for Battle from Five Generations of Loyal Generals.
The Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe was established in 2010 but traces its lineage to the Luoyang City Yu Opera Troupe founded in the 1950s and the Second Luoyang City Yu Opera Troupe formed in the late 1980s. The troupe is known for its Ma‑school style and has produced popular works such as Mu Guiying Takes Command, Demanding Justice from the Emperor, The Spear as a Token of Love, and Luoyang Bridge. Mu Guiying Takes Command received the National Outstanding Traditional Opera Script Award and several first prizes at the first Henan Provincial Drama Festival.
Tickets for the two performances are available in three price tiers—$190, $290 and $390—through URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). The CCF offers group and package discounts, as well as a new “Generations Together 1+1” promotion. For programme enquiries or concessionary schemes, callers may contact 2268 7325 or visit the CCF website.
A meet‑the‑artists session titled “On the Development and Dissemination of Yu Opera – A Legacy from Luoyang, Henan” will take place on Thursday, 16 July at 7:30 p.m. in AC2, Level 4 of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Speakers include Guan Meili, Wang Hui, Jia Wenlong, Bo Qing, Chen Dahua and Liu Yalin, with Giovanna Wu moderating. Admission is free, but online registration is required; a standby list will be opened if the registration capacity is reached.
The festival also features two “Chinese Culture for All” sessions for local primary and secondary schools on Friday, 17 July at 10:30 a.m. and noon. The troupe will perform Yu opera excerpts such as Huarong Pass from The Righteous and the Loyal and On the Way to Battle from Hua Mulan, accompanied by demonstrations and guided appreciation. Schools interested in participating may call 2268 7325.
The CCF is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). The festival’s aim is to promote Chinese culture, strengthen national identity and cultural confidence, and provide opportunities for the public to experience traditional Chinese arts. The 2026 edition runs from June to September and includes over 280 performances, film screenings, exhibitions, talks, workshops and community activities.
All performances will feature Chinese and English surtitles. The Ko Shan Theatre New Wing auditorium, which opened in 2014, has a 596‑seat capacity and is designed to enhance audience experience.
In summary, the Luoyang Yu Opera Troupe’s Hong Kong debut is a key highlight of the CCF 2026, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness classic Yu opera in its authentic Ma‑school style. Tickets are on sale, and the festival continues to provide educational and cultural outreach programs for schools and the wider community.
