The Chinese Kwun Opera Society was founded in 1979. Our mission is to preserve and promote the Kunqu performing art, as well as to introduce this valuable art to the diverse communities in Los Angeles. In addition to our regular practices, we conduct performances and educational seminars regularly at universities, museums, libraries, local communities, and other cultural events. We display subtitles in both Chinese and English to help further the understanding and appreciation of this art.
We truly believe that a valuable performing art can only be sustained with the following factors: the value of the art itself, the quality of the performers and performances, the technical support from behind the scenes, our volunteers' efforts, strong support from donors and sponsors, and the acceptance and encouragement from our audiences.
Upcoming Events
October 5, 2024
"Legend of the Jade Hairpin" - at Rothenberg Hall (Huntington Library)
2:00 - 5:00pm
Details & RSVP here
October 6, 2024
Classic Scenes from the Kunqu Opera Repertoire - at Rothenberg Hall (Huntington Library)
2:00 - 4:00pm
- "Captured Alive" from The Water Margin
- "A Portrait Retrieved" from The Peony Pavilion
- "An Unsightly Surprise" from Mistake with a Kite
October 10, 2024
Kunqu Opera Lecture and Demo - at Clark Library (UCLA)
4:00 - 5:30pm
Details & RSVP here
October 12, 2024
"Legend of the Jade Hairpin" - at Schoenberg Hall (UCLA)
2:00 - 5:00pm
Details & RSVP here
Past Events
- 2/5/2022 - 2022 Chinese New Year Festival of Liu Fang Yuan, "The School Room" by Yimeng Liu, Fang Wei and Wei Wang，"A Stroll in the Garden" by Wei Wang and Yimeng Liu at the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 2/5/2023 - 2023 Chinese New Year Festival of Liu Fang Yuan, "A Sweet Rendezvous" by Liyung Hou, Wei Wang and Yimeng Liu at the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 1/14/2024 - "A Stroll in the Garden" by Wei Wang and Yimeng Liu, "The Banquet" by Bin Ma and Fang Wei, "Mistake With a Kite" by Wei Wang and Sunny Zhang at Liu Fang Yuan, the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 2/10/2024 - 2024 Chinese New Year Festival of Liu Fang Yuan, "Princess Baihua Bestows Her Sword" by Bohan Yei , Fang Wei and Yimeng Liu at the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 2/11/2024 - 2024 Chinese New Year Festival of Liu Fang Yuan, "The Banquet" by Bin Ma and Fang Wei at the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 2/20/2010 - "A Stroll in the Garden" at the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 3/20/2010 & 3/21/2010 - "Peony Pavilion" at the University of California, Irvine (UCI)
- 8/1/2010 - "New Couple" at California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 12/11/2010 & 12/12/2010 - "Peony Pavilion" by Ma Yaoyao, Shi Xiaomei, Lu jia, Zhu Huiying, Chen Xiaoming at the Downey Civic Theatre
- 4/16/2011 - "An Interrupted Dream" by Jianjing Kuang & Justina Lee, "Joe, The Connoisseur in Music" by Hui Pan & Wendy Chang, "Xu-Ge (A Lovers' Spat)" and "Xiao-Yian (A Disrupted Party)" by Taiji Wang & Liyung Hou at the Downey Civic Theatre
- 4/17/2012 (AM) - Lecture: The art of Kunqu Performance by Shi Xiaomei, Kunqu Studio and Jiangsu Province Kunqu Opera Troupe at Schoenberg Auditorium, UCLA
- 4/17/2012 (PM) - "The Mountain Gate" by Zhao Yutao & Li Hongliang, "Union in the Shades from Peony Pavilian" by Shi Xiaomei & Xu Yunxiu at Schoenberg Auditorium, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- 4/18/2012 - Lecture: The art of Kunqu Performance by Shi Xiaomei, Kunqu Studio and Jiangsu Province Kunqu Opera Troupe at the University of California, Irvine (UCI)
- 4/21/2012 - "Peach Blossom Fan" by Shi Xiaomei, Gong Yinlei, Zhao Jian, Li Hongliang, Xu Yunxiu, Gu Jun & Zhao Yutao at the Downey Civic Theatre
- 4/22/2012 - Refined Excerpts of Kunqu Classics "A Chance Meeting in the Great Hall" by Shi Xiaomei, Li Hongliang, Gong Yinlei & Xu Yunxiu, "Painting the Portrait" by Xu Yunxiu," "Captured Alive" by Gong Yinlei & Li Hongliang, "Hearing the Appeal" and "Reprimanding the Father" by Shi Xiaomei, Zhao Jian & Gu Jun at the Downey Civic Theatre
- 10/19/2013 - "Ballad of the Broken Axe Mountain" by Liyung Hou & Liu Xiao at the Downey Civic Theatre
- 8/28/2015 & 8/29/2015 - Performance of Classics of Kunqu Opera and Chinese Folk Music including Kunqu Opera Arias by Henry Chang, Susan Liu, Gina Liu, William Kin, Hui Pan and Zhaogan Li plus "The Broken Bridge" by Liyung Hou, Liping Kin & Justina Lee at the Huntington Library
- 10/6/2017 - "A Stroll in the Garden", "An Interrupted Dream" by Liyung Hou, Sophia Dai and Justina Lee at Eugene Public Library, Oregon
- 5/3/2018 & 5/6/2018 - "Garden Version of `A Stroll in the Garden` and `An Interrupted Dream`" by Ledell Wu, Sophia Dai, Wei Wang and Fang Wei at the Huntington Library
- 8/19/2018 - "Kunqu Opera: Love, Hatred, Passion & Vengeance" including "A Stroll in the Garden" by Wei Wang & Fang Wei, "An Interrupted Dream" by Ledell Wu & Justina Lee, "Assassination of General Tiger" by Liyung Hou and Qingxian Liu at Rothenberg Hall, the Huntington Library, San Marino
- 6/17/2000 - "A Stroll in the Garden" at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, San Gabriel
- 12/2/2000 - "Steals the Poem", "Shocked by the Coup", "Bestowing a Sword" at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 9/27/2003 - "Happy Union", "Rendezvous", "Haven in a Boat", "Hoo's Village" at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte, California"
- 4/17/2004 - "Asking for Tea", "For Death Together" at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 2/14/2005 - "Mischief at Class" at Claremont McKenna College, Claremont
- 5/28/2005 - "Surprise Awakening from a Dream" at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, San Gabriel
- 10/8/2005 - "New Couple", "Goodbye, My Son" and "A Stroll in the Garden", "Surprise Awakening from a Dream" by Jennifer Hua and Yue Meiti at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 8/30/2008 - "New Couple", "Goodbye, My Son", "A Stroll in the Garden", "Surprise Awakening from a Dream" at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 7/25/2009 - "A Stroll in the Garden", "Steals the Poem", "Broken Bridge", "A Maddening Dream" at the California Institute for Chinese Performing Art, El Monte
- 6/23/1990 - "Broken Bridge" at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, San Gabriel
- 9/2/1990 - "Broken Bridge" at the Chinese Moon Festival in Los Angeles Chinatown
- 5/22/1993 - "Escorting Lady Jing-Niang" at Rosemead High School, Rosemead
- 5/29/1993 - "Mischief at Class", "A Stroll in the Garden", "Surprise Awakening from a Dream", "Kill General Tiger" at the Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 6/11/1994 - "Happy Union" at the Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 4/30/1995 - "Flirtation with the Zither", "Buddhist Nun Longing to Return the World", "Banquet for Two" at Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 6/2/1996 - "Escorting Lady Jing-Niang" at the Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 2/2/1997 - "Buddhist Nun Longing to Return the World, "Banquet for Two" at the Barclay Theatre, Irvine"
- 6/7/1997 - "A Maddening Dream" at the Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 5/23/1998 - "Steals the Poem" by Yue Meiti and Zhang Jingxian at Evergreen Bookstore, Monterey Park
- 6/6/1998 - "Dreamland Revisited", "Refuse for Remarriage", "Broken Bridge", "Village Searching" at the Chinese Culture Center, El Monte
- 7/1979 - Weekly meetings at Mama Yu's residence in Monterey Park
- 4/11/1981 - "A Stroll in the Garden" by Lisa Lu and Li-Yung Wang at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
- 2/23/1985 - "Riverside of Chu" at Pasadena City College, Pasadena
- 9/6/1987 - "A Stroll in the Garden" at San Diego State University, San Diego
- 6/1989 - "Happy Union" at Jackson School, Rosemead
- 8/1989 - Chinese Kwun Opera Society established as a non-profit organization
Contact Us
You can reach us at info@kunquopera.org