Li Liuyi () is a Chinese director and playwright of Beijing People's Art Theatre. His theory "Pure Drama" and his related exploration in the field are known as "Li Liuyi Methodology", which is widely acclaimed and researched."The Drama Project of Li Liuyi" (In Simplified Chinese), Bai Ying, Outlook Weekly, 2012, 50, pp.46-48 Japanese modern theater master Tadashi Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木忠志) calls him "The most influential stage artist of Asia in the new century"."The Art of Li Liuyi's Pure Drama " (In Simplified Chinese), Li Yuewu, 21ccom.net , on October 29, 2012, 10:46. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
Early life Li Liuyi was born into an opera family in 1961. He did research in the Chinese National Academy of Arts for eight years. He has directed numerous genres of drama with distinguished regional characteristics, including Kunqu Opera, Peking Opera, Sichuan opera, Henan Opera, Pingju Opera, Liu Opera, Liuqin tune and Meihu Opera."The Drama Project of Li Liuyi" (In Simplified Chinese), Bai Ying, Outlook Weekly, 2012, 50, pp.46-48
Participation in international artistic events Li Liuyi has been invited to different international art festivals and commissioned to create new productions. He was once invited by the City of Linz—the European Capital of Culture in 2009 to direct the opera The Land of Smiles in Linz State Theatre. He became the first Chinese director to set foot in the world of mainstream European opera."Hard-sell of 'Soft Power'", Mu Qian, China Daily (Chinese: 《中国日报》), on May 11, 2010, 09:16. Retrieved 7 August 2014. Li directed and put the "Heroine" trilogy on stage for the opening ceremony of Holland Festival and was received by the Queen of the Netherlands."Dramatic Consequences When Women Go to War", Chen Jie, China Daily (Chinese: 《中国日报》), on October 17, 2008, 09:43. Retrieved 8 August 2014"Li Liuyi Invited to the Opening Ceremony of Holland Festival with 'Heroine' Trilogy (Pics)" (In Simplified Chinese), Sina.com, on May 27 12:23. Retrieved on 7 August 2014
He cooperated with the National Ballet of China, adapted and directed the ballet The Peony Pavilion."The Stage is Set", Chen Jie, China Daily (Chinese: 《中国日报》), on April 19, 2011, 08:47. Retrieved 7 August 2014. The ballet was one of the opening performances in the Edinburgh International Festival, which marked an important breakthrough for China's performing arts scene, as it meant Chinese performances were now being staged in major European art festivals."Ballet 'Peony Pavilion' highlights Edinburgh Festival ", CCTV.com, on August 16, 2001, 09:43 BJ. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
Representative works of drama as a director Thunderstorm (2025) The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, 2018-2020)| Antigone and Oedipus Rex ("Outstanding Director's Drama Series: Li Liuyi", April 2014, the National Grand Theater, Beijing)"The National Grand Theater 'Outstanding Director's Drama Series: Li Liuyi'" (In Simplified Chinese), ifeng.com (Chinese: 凤凰网), April 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Savage Land (The fifth Beijing International Music Festival, October 29, 2012)"'The Savage Land' was Brought onto Stage during the Beijing International Musical Festival" (In Simplified Chinese), ifeng.com (Chinese: 凤凰网), September 03 2013, 10:00. Retrieved August 13, 2014. Death of a Salesman (People's Art Theatre, Beijing, April 2012)"Death of a Salesman", China Daily, Updated: March 23, 2012 14:27. Retrieved August 13, 2014."People's Art Theatre Brought 'Death of a Salesman' to Rehearsal" (In Simplified Chinese), 163.com (Chinese: 网易新闻), February 10, 2012, 08:16:26. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Song of the Earth (Symphony originally written by Mahler; Cooperated with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, October 2012)"'The Song of the Land', -- A Conversation Spanning the Age of a Century" (In Simplified Chinese), China Daily, December 17, 2012, 02:51:00. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Family (Originally written by Ba Jin and adapted by Cao Yu; People's Art Theatre, Beijing, July 2011)"The Curtain Fell for 'The Family' in People's Art Theatre Beijing. Director Touched by Young Actors and Actresses" (In Simplified Chinese), Xu Tianqiu, CRI Online, cri.cn, July 11, 2011, 13:45:40. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Golden Cangue (Modern Peking opera, December 2010; won Outstanding Director Award and Outstanding Drama Award in the Twelfth Chinese Opera Festival)"'The Golden Cangue' – The Impeccable Artistic Integrity" (In Simplified Chinese), Tong Daoming (researcher of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), Chinese Theatre, March 2012 Mei Lanfang Classics (Peking opera; Zhengyici Peking Opera Theatre (), May 2010)"Peking Opera 'Mei Lanfang Classics'" (in Simplified Chinese), sina.com (Chinese: 新浪网), October 12, 2010 The Peony Pavilion (invited by The Corps de Ballet of China to direct this ballet and cooperated with Japanese costume designer Emi Wada [Japanese: ワダ・エミ or 和田恵美子])"'The Peony Pavilion' Adapted into a Ballet – Director Li Liuyi Complains" (In Simplified Chinese), sohu.com (), March 05 2008, 11:32. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Story of Puppets (Kunqu Opera; cooperated with Japanese director Hideo Kanze [Japanese: 観世栄夫])"'The Story of Puppets' Has Space to Be Improved -- Director Li Liuyi Could Have Made More Efforts"(In Simplified Chinese), sina.com (Chinese: 新浪网), March 04 2002, 03:59. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The "Heroine" Trilogy Mu Guiying, Hua Mulan, Liang Hongyu (New Peking Opera, 2003)"Li Liuyi's Heroin Trilogy Met with Cold Shoulder in China but Highly Welcomed in Europe" (In Simplified Chinese), Cao Jingyun, November 24, 2009, 09:49:56. Retrieved August 13, 2014. The Good Person of Szechwan (Originally written by Bertolt Brecht; a Chinese Sichuan opera, 1987)"An Expert in One Thing and Good at Many -- Director Li Liuyi", China.com.cn, March 20, 2001. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
Representative works of drama as a playwright Critics consider Li Liuyi a playwright with lasting literary creativity. His works of drama include:Li Liuyi, Introduction to Directors on the official website of Beijing People's Art Theatre (In Simplified Chinese), bjry.com . Retrieved on 7 August 2014 three small theatre works -- Blue Sky After Rain, Mahjong,"Chinese Small Theatre Works in the Eyes of Japanese Audience", Iizuka Rong (Japanese: 飯塚容), Chinese Theatre, 2012, 012, pp. 48-50 and Songat Midnight; the "Heroine" Trilogy Mu Guiying,"The Revolutionary Small Theatre Peking Opera -- 'Mu Guiying'" (In Simplified Chinese), Guo Jia, Sichuan Theatre, 2004.04, pp. 20-21"'Mu Guiying' Calls For the Inherent Qualities of a Female", Jia Wei, Beijing Daily (Chinese: 《北京日报》), on August 20, 2003 Hua Mulan, Liang Hongyu;"The Legend of Liang Hongyu Given New Ending", Press Releases, info.gov.hk, on October 17, 2008, Issued at HKT 11:55. Retrieved 8 August 2014. See Lu Xun Again, 2003, Time Passed by; The Life of a Peking Policeman (adapted from Lao She's novel); Fortress Besieged (adapted from Qian Zhongshu's novel); Spring in a Small Town (adapted from Fei Mu's film); Ballet The Peony Pavilion (adapted from Tang Xianzu's Kunqun Opera). His book Li Liuyi's Pure Drama· Collection of Dramas has been published by the People 's Literature Publishing House in China,Li Liuyi's Pure Drama· Collection of Dramas, the People 's Literature Publishing House (Chinese: 人民文学出版社), Beijing, China, 2001 () translated into many languages and published worldwide.
Drama project "Li Liuyi • China Made" (2012-2015) In 2012, Li Liuyi launched the drama project "Li Liuyi • China Made". The project includes three works of ancient Greek tragedy, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, and Prometheus Bound, and the Chinese epic King Gesar (I, II and III)."Li Liuyi: His Real Intention Does not Lie in 'Antigone' " (In Simplified Chinese), Shi Ming, Sanlian Life Weekly (Chinese: 三联生活周刊), 2012, 48, pp.146-150"Plowing in the Land of Poem - On Viewing 'Oedipus' Directed by Li Liuyi" (In Simplified Chinese), Lin Yinyu, Chinese Theatre, 2013, 05, pp. 58-60 Antigone and Oedipus Rex have been performed in public. Prometheus Bound will be launched early next year in 2015.Antigone by Li Liuyi Theatre Studio (China) , News from The Straits Times, posted on 7 February 2014, 8:08. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
As stated in its programme note, "Re-assuming the responsibility of being a practitioner of drama", Li Liuyi's Antigone has realized a kind of "self-awareness"—it stands at the crossroad of Chinese experience and Western classics and has completed a conversation with the times and the world.The Audience Must be Offended, Li Jing, New Star Press, May 1, 2014, ISBN：9787513314428
As a contemporary Chinese director, Li Liuyi has successfully caught the soul of the Ancient Greek classic drama through his "translated" work of drama -- Oedipus Rex. He broke through the high wall between the Oriental and Occidental cultures and civilizations, and seamlessly joined the thoughts and emotions of the people from the ancient and distant foreign land, and of the local people in the contemporary times."Black Spell -- On Viewing 'Oedipus the King' Directed by Li Liuyi", Peng Li, Qun Yan (magazine; Chinese: 《群言》), July 7, 2013, pp.40-42.
References