2021.06.18
搬演《三國演義》第五十回「諸葛亮智算華容，關雲長義釋曹操」的故事，集中描寫義氣當先的關公，與曹操的一段精彩對手戲。劇中曹操與關公對唱，一段梆子慢板、中板、快點，曹操道出往日對關公的恩義，關公亦說明如何斬顏良、誅文醜以報答曹操。
曹操赤壁兵敗，諸葛亮派張飛、趙子龍截擊不果，後派關羽守華容道，等待曹操。曹操曾對關公有恩，見關公守華容小道，以為看透諸葛亮的佈局，途中大笑諸葛亮，亦覺得滿有生機。曹操要求關公放其生路，最後哭跪求憐，義字當頭的關公面對兩難，最後「大丈夫，為義氣，青史名留」，以一字長蛇陣，立意放生曹操。曹操敗走，始成三國分立局面。其實此為諸葛亮的智算，特意讓關公歸還曹操恩義，從此兩無相欠。
Traditional Set Pieces and Excerpts from Formulaic Plays in Cantonese Opera
General Kwan Guards the Huarong Pass
Presented by: Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Produced by: The Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong
Platform: YouTube
Link: https://youtu.be/cycZhWOhM4o
Synopsis: This is a play taken from Chapter 50 of the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ‘Zhuge Liang Foresees the Huarong Pass Episode, Guan Yu Releases Cao Cao in Reciprocation of a Former Kind Deed’. The operatic presentation is a duo between Guan Yu, a general with the highest sense of morals and righteousness, and Cao Cao of the State of Wei. Through the singing narrative between the two characters, delivered in the varying moods of bangzi in slow, moderate and fast tempi, Cao Cao speaks of a former kind deed he had done to Guan Yu, while Guan relates how he repays Cao Cao by slaying Yan Liang and Wen Chou.
Cao Cao is defeated at Red Cliff. Zhuge Liang sends Zhang Fei and Zhao Zilong to intercept his escape but to no avail, so he sends Guan Yu to station at the Huarong Pass to wait for Cao Cao to pass by. Cao has done Guan a favour before, so when he sees Guan Yu guarding the Huarong Pass, he thinks he has seen through Zhuge Liang’s plot and bursts out laughing. He believes that he has every hope to escape unscathed. Cao asks Guan to let him go, beseeching until he goes down on his knees to beg in tears. Guan, who always puts righteousness first, is in dilemma. Finally resolving that ‘an upright man would leave his name in history for his true adherence to righteousness’, he decides to let Cao go by setting up a snake formation (a military setting). Cao is finally able to flee. The situation evolves into the establishment of the three kingdoms. Actually, the happenings are all within Zhuge’s plan: he purposely lets Guan return the favour to Cao so that from now on, he owes Cao nothing.
Series: Traditional Set Pieces and Excerpts from Formulaic Plays in Cantonese Opera
Scheme/ Festival: Click for Arts
Art Form: Xiqu
Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying
Cast: Law Ka-ying, Chan Hung-chun, Kwong Tsz-wong, Vong Seng-pan
