Sichuan opera flies high in Toronto

For the first time in its history, this year's Luminato Festival in Toronto has invited an elite Chinese opera troupe to present "The Phoenix Pavilion". And this version of the Sichuan classic is bringing something special.

A high-grade hybrid, featuring elements from both the east and the west. It's "The Phoenix Pavilion", written by Chinese composer Guo Wenjing.

This new production has an all-star line up, with veteran Sichuan opera artist Shen Tiemei in the starring role.

And the man behind the theatrics is acclaimed Canadian director Atom Egoyan, a Cannes Grand Prix winner.

Based on the popular folk tale of the Three Kingdoms, the story centers around Diao Chan, one of China's mythical Four Beauties.

The femme fatale uses her seductive powers to stir up jealousy and anger between warlord Lu Bu and his father Dong Zhuo. The production climaxes with Diao Chan's secret meeting with Lu Bu in the Phoenix Pavilion.

This remake breaks new ground by mixing Sichuan opera and Peking opera with a Western symphony.

But despite all the novelties, the essence of the original Sichuan opera's influence is far from lost.

Shen Tiemei, performer of "The Phoenix Pavilion", said, "I think what we have done is quite interesting. We haven't changed the essence of Sichuan Opera, the singing, the hand gestures and the postures, we've kept them original. And the director really respects the traditional elements; he even asked me to exaggerate the hand gestures to make it more theatrical. So in that sense I think we're preserving and reviving Sichuan opera."

However, the team has put much effort into making the music and drama more accessible to Western audiences.

Atom Egoyan, director of "The Phoenix Pavilion", said, "So there's a time when I don't understand what the color meant and what the gesture meant, so the hope is that through this type of production and also through some Western lighting and design techniques there's a way of bringing the tradition forward and of course the greatest thing about this festival is that traditional sections can really be shown off."

The Luminato Festival was begun in 2007, and is a major event accentuating artistic diversity and inclusiveness.

And the premiere of "The Phoenix Pavilion" at the festival marks an important page in the growing global influence of Chinese performing arts.