Chinese Culture Festival 2026: Chinese Opera Festival - Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre

"A Dream Under the Southern Bough" is a dramatic revelation of the illusions of worldly glory created by the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre. It is a masterfully adapted version of "The Dream of Nanke" written by Tang Xianzu, executed as a full-scale production in two parts. The story tells of a scholar Chunyu Fen’s sojourn in a dream to the kingdom of ants, where he experiences the rise and fall of power, love won and lost, and the fleeting nature of wealth and prosperity, only to awaken to life’s ultimate emptiness. Plum Blossom Award winner Shi Xiaming will lead 4ᵗʰ and 5ᵗʰ generation performers of the theatre in a reinterpretation that blends classical elegance with contemporary theatrical concepts, featuring lyrical poetry, mellifluous melodies, and ethereal staging through lighting. The audience will travel through a dreamlike world of poetic beauty and philosophical reflection in this highly imaginative dramatisation. 31/7 (FRI) 7:30pm "A Dream Under the Southern Bough" - Part One 1/8 (SAT) 7:30pm "A Dream Under the Southern Bough" - Part Two Main Cast: Shi Xiaming, He Xinyue, Zhao Yutao, Xu Sijia, Sun Jing Extension Activities 29/6 (MON) 7:30pm Workshop on the Stylised Movements of "Sheng" (Male) Roles in "Kunqu" Tutor: Shi Xiaming Venue: AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre In Putonghua 30/6 (TUE) 7:30pm Workshop on the Stylised Movements of "Dan" (Female) Roles in "Kunqu" Tutor: He Xinyue Venue: AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre In Putonghua 29/7 (WED) 7:30pm A Demonstration Talk on The Painted Faces of "Kunqu" Speaker: Sun Jing Venue: Exhibition Gallery, Sha Tin Town Hall In Putonghua 30/7 (THU) 7:30pm Meet-the-Artists: "A Dream Under the Southern Bough" – Creating a Virtual World from Reality Speakers: Shi Xiaming, He Xinyue, Zhao Yutao, Xu Sijia Moderator: Giovanna WU Venue: AC2, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre In Putonghua 1/8 (SAT) 2:30pm Backstage Tour Venue: Backstage, Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall In Putonghua Free admission. Limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is required, please refer to Cultural Presentations Section website. 18/6 – 27/6 (THU – SAT) The Virtual Realm of Kingdom of Huai’an – The Staging of "A Dream Under the Southern Bough" Venue: Exhibition Gallery, Sha Tin Town Hall 29/6 – 2/8 (MON – SUN) The Virtual Realm of Kingdom of Huai’an – The Staging of "A Dream Under the Southern Bough" Venue: Foyer Exhibition Area, Tai Po Civic Centre 一夢入南柯，榮華皆幻影。江蘇省演藝集團崑劇院匠心改編湯顯祖《南柯記》，以上、下本呈獻《南柯夢》。淳于棼夢入螻蟻之國，歷經權位浮沉、情緣起滅、榮華轉瞬，醒來方悟人生皆虛無。中國戲劇梅花獎得主施夏明攜手崑劇院第四、五代優秀演員，展現傳承與創新的交融。全劇以古典氣韻融合當代理念，詞曲婉轉，唱腔悠遠，光影唯美如夢。 31/7 (五) 晚上7時30分 《南柯夢》（上本） 1/8 (六) 晚上7時30分 《南柯夢》（下本） 主演：施夏明、賀欣悅、趙于濤、徐思佳、孫晶 延伸活動 29/6（一）晚上7時30分 崑劇工作坊— 崑劇生角身段功架 導師：施夏明 地點：香港文化中心行政大樓4樓2號會議室 普通話主講 30/6（二）晚上7時30分 崑劇工作坊— 崑劇旦角身段功架 導師：賀欣悅 地點：香港文化中心行政大樓4樓2號會議室 普通話主講 29/7（三）晚上7時30分 花面綻放— 崑曲臉譜講座與體驗 講者：孫晶 地點：沙田大會堂展覽廳 普通話主講 30/7（四）晚上7時30分 藝人談：夢裡夢外說南柯 講者：施夏明、賀欣悅、趙于濤、徐思佳 主持：胡梓穎 地點：香港文化中心行政大樓4樓2號會議室 普通話主講 1/8（六）下午2時30分 後台導賞活動 地點：沙田大會堂演奏廳後台 普通話講解 免費入場，座位有限，先到先得，敬請網上登記留座，詳情請參閱文化節目組網頁。 18/6 – 27/6（四 – 六） 夢入槐安：崑劇《南柯夢》的舞台世界 地點：沙田大會堂展覽廳 29/6 – 2/8（一 – 日） 夢入槐安：崑劇《南柯夢》的舞台世界 地點：大埔文娛中心大堂展覽場地