This beautifully realized documentary chronicles the life and work of Qi Shu Fang, one of the preeminent masters of Chinese Opera living in the United States. It is a story of ambition, love, the creative impulse and the struggle to survive against all odds. The film highlights the intricacies of Peking Opera, an art form that is hardly known in the West and is declining in popularity in China. At the same time it explores why Ms. Qi, her husband, Ding Mei-kui, and their company of Chinese Opera performers have made the difficult move to the United States, where they, like so many immigrants, must balance pressures to assimilate with the needs of cultural expression and preservation.

"The Peking Opera is magic on stage!" - The New York Times

"Enchanting and compelling! Peking Opera star Qi Shu Fang is no prima donna; she is down-to-earth, hard-working and thoroughly adept at negotiating the complexities of the modern world while maintaining her love of this ancient tradition. Excerpts from various operas with their brilliant and exotic costumes, comedic interludes and martial arts bravado are interspersed with backstage scenes and interviews. The film will go a long way in demystifying Peking Opera and building new interest for the uninitiated, as well as allowing aficionados to gain further insight." - Robert H. Browning, Founder, World Music Institute

Special Features:

• Photo Gallery
• Director Bio
• Resource Guide

Format: DVD
Release Year : 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes
Color: Color
Language: English & Mandarin w/English subtitles

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