Chinese Theatre Circle
presents
SNOWING IN SUMMER
Cantonese Opera . 23 Dec 2000 . Jubilee Hall . 7.45pm

This Cantonese Opera written by the most famous playwriter from Hong Kong the late Mr Tang Di Shang (AD 1917 - 1959) was adapted from the opera written by the great scholar Guan Han Qing in the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1210 - 1300)

The story tells how a corrupt magistrate sentenced an innocent widow Dou E to death for a murder she did not commit. The murder in fact was committed by her neighbour Zhang Lu Er who had failed in his attempts to lure her to marry him. Zhang, a wealthy landlord, had bribed the magistrate to dispose of the case.

Zhang had earlier concocted a plan to cause Dou E's husband Cai Chang Zong to fall into a river by bribing the builder to loosen the foundation of the bridge when Cai was crossing it. Dou E thought that her husband had perished.

Just before the execution of Dou E, snow fell heavily, although it was a hot summer day. The execution was thus delayed. At this juncture, Dou E's husband arrived at the execution site. He managed to survive the fall into the river and he was appointed a senior roving judge following his success in the Imperial Examination. Sensing that there could be a miscarriage of justice, Cai Chang Zong ordered a retrial of Dou E. Cai presided at the retrial against Zhang Lu Er. Dou E was cleared and the long arm of the law caught up with the corrupt magistrate and Zhang Lu Er who was finally executed.

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