The company of 14 actors, make up artists (famous face masks), musicians - of the Chinese Theatre Association Shanghai - will present to the German public six performances out of their Kun Opera repertoire with three different programs, all of which European premieres. They allow an insight into one of the most intricate and artistic theatre traditions in East Asia mostly unknown in Europe.

The performances will take place either in the Academy Theatre of the Prinzregententheatre on 29, 30, 31 January as well as 5, 6 and 7 February.

Kun Opera - founded in the 16^th century - is the oldest form of theatre in China and quite distinct in it's musical and aesthetically style from the much better known Peking Opera. Every evening performance will be introduced with short demonstrations to illuminate the cultural language and symbols to the European public.

Kun Opera Shanghai will perform in three different programmes on six nights at the Prinzregententheatre (Academy stage)

Lecture 18.1.98 at the Garden Pavilion at Prinzregententheatre. Introduction of the expressive techniques of China's oldest theatre tradition with audio-visual demonstrations (Mrs. Irene Wegner)

Patrons
Dr. Edmund Stoiber, Bavarian Prime Minister and Lu Qiutian, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Germany

Concept and Organisation
Axel Tangerding

Research
Dr. Irene Wegner

Production
Meta Theatre in co-operation with
the Bavarian Theatre Academy,
the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and
the Chinese Theatre Association of Shanghai