Thunderstorm

Corruption and dark secrets prevail in old Shanghai

One of modern opera's greatest works, this adaptation of Cao Yu's story of revolution in Old Shanghai reveals familial corruption behind a moral facade. Premiering in 2001 at the Shanghai Opera House, this Chinese-language opera follows the form of a Western-style opera, with music composed by Mo Fan. Hypocrisy, incest and traditionalist Chinese values all combine to create the perfect storm, and the downfall of the corrupt businessman, Zhou Puyuan and his dynasty.

Zhou Puyuan is the patriarchal head of the prosperous Zhou family, who is held up as a paragon of virtue and upstanding moral values in beautiful Old Shanghai. However, nothing is as it seems, as he is embroiled in corrupt practises throughout his business empire, which threatens to spill over into his family life.

At the same time, his scion Ping falls in love with a lowly maidservant in his father's household - not realising that they are in fact half-brother and sister. All at once Zhou's involvement in corruption blows up into a terrible scandal, and the affair between his two children is exposed, bringing the family to ruin, both emotionally, and physically. All this happens against the backdrop of the growing Communist revolution, ensuring that the Zhou family will never recover their glory days.