Wei Xinping

DOI: 10.64212/WDHL7192

Abstract

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Ji Junxiang wrote the play The Great Revenge of the Orphan of Zhao based on Sima Qian’s Historical Records – The Family of Zhao, which became one of the four great classical Chinese tragedies. Later generations used this version as a blueprint for various renditions of the play in southern opera, drama, and film. The musical Orphan of Zhao, directed by Xu Jun and adapted from the script of James Fenton’s play, is the latest adaptation of Orphan of Zhao and has attracted much attention since its premiere. After touring, it has gained a high reputation and has been hailed as “the pinnacle of Chinese musicals in recent years”. This essay explores how the aesthetics of traditional Chinese tragedy can be revitalized and disseminated to the general public through the modernization and reshaping of the play from the perspectives of plot adaptation, characterization, production, and marketing.

Key Words

Orphan of Zhao, tragic aesthetics, modern adaptation, traditional culture