10th Orchid Pavilion Gathering Master Class: Hu Wenge in Performance and in Context

In 1930, China Institute of America invited Mei Lanfang to make his triumphant debut on Broadway. Nearly a century later, we proudly present a one-time-only opportunity to once again be immersed in the artistry of an internationally acclaimed Peking opera star.

China Institute is honored to host Hu Wenge, a master of the Mei School of Peking opera, for a special New York performance. As the only male protégé of the late Mei Baojiu, son of Mei Lanfang, Hu Wenge is among the very few inheritors in the line of the male dan tradition, the art of male performers portraying female roles. This landmark event is part of China Institute’s Centennial celebration and is presented in conjunction with the current exhibition “The Dancing Goddess: Mei Lanfang in America” at China Institute Gallery.

Hu will perform in full the iconic drama The Drunken Beauty, a centerpiece of the opera canon. Through the sophisticated union of movement and music, he brings to life the distilled essence of the legendary Yang Guifei’s complex emotions as the emperor’s ill-fated favorite. Following the performance, two distinguished scholars will offer historic insights into the work, joining Maestro Hu in sharing in-depth reflections on the unique sonic and physical aspects of Sinitic opera.

This 10th edition of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering is part of our annual series celebrating artistic exchange, inspired by the calligrapher Wang Xizhi’s (307–365) historic literati gathering on Mount Kuaiji.