{"id":183427,"date":"2021-09-10T11:00:20","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T03:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=183427"},"modified":"2021-09-09T17:55:41","modified_gmt":"2021-09-09T09:55:41","slug":"hong-kong-dance-company-waiting-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/hong-kong-dance-company-waiting-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore an epic Chinese love story with The Hong Kong Dance Company in their new performance Waiting Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inspired by Chinese tales and traditions, the Hong Kong Dance Company has a proud history of putting Chinese culture at the centre of their work. Local audiences have been enchanted and delighted for years by Shan Shui: An Ode to Nature<\/a>, L\u2019Amour Immortel<\/a>, Lady White of West Lake,<\/em> and The Legend of Mulan<\/em>. The upcoming performance of Waiting Heart<\/em> is sure to do the same.<\/p>\n

Waiting Heart<\/em> premiered in 2018 to great acclaim and won two Hong Kong Dance Awards in 2019 for Outstanding Medium Venue Production and Outstanding Lighting Design. The performance reinterprets the epic Chinese love story, The Legend of the Purple Hairpin<\/em> \u7d2b\u91f5\u8a18, in a joint performance with the Utopia Chinese Opera Workshop. This year, the artistic adventure returns to the stage to celebrate the inheritance of traditions and the wonders of contemporary imagination. Be sure to grab your tickets for the highly anticipated Waiting Heart<\/em>. Find out more below.<\/p>\n

The Legend of the Purple Hairpin<\/h3>\n
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The beautiful and tragic Huo Xiaoyu takes the stage in Hong Kong Dance Company\u2019s presentation of Waiting Heart.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Legend of the Purple Hairpin<\/em> has a long and beloved history in Chinese culture. The tale of lovers separated by fate was already considered a classic in the Tang dynasty before it became a popular zaju (\u96dc\u5287)\u2014a form of Chinese drama and theatre\u2014in the Ming dynasty. Today, many are familiar with the tale through Tang Ti-sheng\u2019s celebrated Cantonese opera from 1956.<\/p>\n

The legend begins with the poet Li Yi, who\u2014during the Lantern Festival on the first full-moon night of the lunar New Year\u2014falls in love with the beautiful Huo Xiaoyu, who hangs her purple hairpin on a plum tree branch as a keepsake. But the lovers are separated by a powerful imperial court official, who banishes Li to a frontier post and tells Huo that Li has changed his mind about her. Later, the lovers are reunited by a mysterious swordsman, Yellow Robe, who reveals the truth. \u201cThe love story of Huo Xiaoyu and Li Yi is a eulogy that has undergone numerous transformations over the years,\u201d says choreographer Yang Yuntao. \u201cI think the reason why this piece can move people, regardless of the era, is because the audience can see themselves in the story. No matter how times change, the story resonates with the audience\u2019s experiences and the feeling of love is eternal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waiting Heart: Inspired by Tradition<\/h3>\n