Breaking the Willow

Kunqu opera is an ancient style of drama and a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. Through two different arias, director Yonfan shows the unique properties of this performing art. National treasure-grade actor Zhang Jiqing's performance shows total control and looks effortless. Her bright voice, illustrating her wealth of emotions, is simply magnificent. She passes on her skills to the next generation, displaying an incredibly selfless attitude. The second aria is performed by younger performers Wang Fang and Zhao Wenlin. It is about a woman and her lover saying goodbye before they are separated. With these two arias placed side by side, one gets a sense that the art of kunqu is aggressively being passed on to the next generations. Although opera performance is continuous, the way it was filmed and cut together with multiple shots and the addition of the backstage life of the performers makes this a new and unique combination between the arts of kunqu opera and film.

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