帝女花之香夭Fragrant Sacrifice
Sunday, May 13th, 2012
This is probably the most well-known excerpt from the most-watched Cantonese Opera in the world. I have supplied English subtitles here, hoping that those who are not familiar with this language can enjoy it too. I have uploaded another version before, performed by the students of these two actresses. 帝女花is a Cantonese Opera first made into a movie in 1959, starring Opera singers, Yam Kim Fei (任剑辉) and Bak Suit Sin (白雪仙), both ladies, but Yam impersonated a man in all her movies. The Emperor of the Ming dynasty had just approved of his future son-in-law who won the heart of his daughter with poetry. At that moment, The Ching army attacked and took over the palace. The Emperor committed suicide with his family but Princess Cheung Ping survived. To win the favour of his subjects, the new Emperor of the Ching dynasty adopted the Princess and proceeded with the grand wedding. To show their loyalty to the Ming emperor, the newly-weds take their own lives on their wedding night. The Cantonese Opera is too beautiful to be translated. Something will be “lost in translation.” The Song here, 香夭(Fragrant Sacrifice) is the grand finale of the opera, sung on the wedding night, the couple are dressed in exquisite finery. The Princess and her groom express their love for each other and their loyalty to the former dynasty, especially the late Emperor, before they take their own lives, drinking wine poisoned with Arsenic. I have added English subtitles for my friends here on …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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