Setting the stage for a new approach

He adds that the production "doesn't simply depict love and hate, or good and bad people. It delves deeply into the complexity of human nature".

"We emphasized love as the central theme, making 'tragic beauty' the emotional core of the play. We also infused it with elements of traditional Chinese culture, reinterpreting the classic from a modern perspective," Feng continues.

Yan Rui, the director of this latest adaptation, elaborates on the vision behind the production.

"The language is rich in poetry and carries the background of traditional opera stories, so we wanted to incorporate the elegance and timeless quality of traditional Chinese opera into the performance.

"The stage design elevates the performance, lending a timeless, almost meditative quality to the experience. Sparse props, such as the graceful, shifting curtains, withered trees hanging upside down, minimalistic Chinese-style railings and the elegant moon gate collectively evoke the image of a courtyard, a stage and a study."

The performances harmonize with the elements of traditional Chinese opera. The actors' physical movements, gestures and expressions — conveyed primarily through the eyes — allow them to vividly externalize the characters' inner emotions. These techniques, drawn from Chinese opera's singing, speech, movement and dance, present a deeper connection to the characters, according to Yan.