libretto excerpts:

Devil and songstress: There are many kinds of women in the world.  Traditional art has always tapped this charm.  Look at that most famous Peking opera star; look at his fascinating eyes. Eyes like a woman’s, they drive both men and women wild.  Pure and innocent, It’s nothing but show!  On stage or off, an actor should never let go. Look at all the hand gestures, the ways tears are wiped off, and things are held, the way to be angry, the way to seduce.  Nothing works without rules.                                        (act2) 

​

Devil: How could you have forgotten the most ancient art? Opera will keep you far ahead of them all.   These revolutionary girls from college know nothing but western art, without a clue about the profound secrets of this traditional art. Not just act, not just gestures, it is a tool for seduction.  Conceal your leering eyes, show him with your fingers how the petals of your body blossom, pass on your silent love with your innocent eyes.  Lightly sway your body, show your endless allure.  Softly whisper, so you capture his soul.  You are a young maiden, coy and coquettish, ready to make him fall head over heels in love!                      (act3)

​

Devil:  But wait!  I have cast a spell on this dynasty, to punish all of culture with the army.  Change history. Change ideas. Only then will you have a future.  Don’t forget a woman’s ambition can conquer millions; to break off one man’s constraint you must use his power against him, and that is the best revenge.  To consolidate your political power, you must carry the flag of culture.  This great revolution needs a great flag bearer.  Guide them into ignorance, to blind faith, to anywhere you want them to go.  Turn their lives into nullity.

                                              (act4)

Queen: My husband, the last man in my life!  I spent most of my life with you, and most of my youth.  I was your secretary, your soldier, your wife and your disciple.  Now it’s your turn to say a few words for me.  Tell them that all I did was to hold up your reign.  For you, I washed everyone’s brain; for you, I set the tone of our time.  This tone fills all corners of this land, infiltrating into everyone’s nerves.  For generations and generations to come, they will never be able to cast off the spell of this tone.  So long as this tone still covers the land, you will be there, and so will your merit.  This voice is your soul.  To keep this voice there, I was relentless when I had to kill, or to put them in jail.  I am a hero, not a sinner.  All I did, I did for you!

...  Oh my devil, my master, where are you? Each and every cell in my body is created by you.  You are my savior, my guiding spirit.  Without your guidance I have no life.  You taught me how to be reborn out of my petty existence.  Why let me experience the greatest glory and the greatest humiliation?  I am the queen and the sinner in one.  Condemn me.  Isn’t power the greatest punishment on the powerful?  Isn’t power nothing but a void?  Come judge me, I leave it all up to you.  I am a daughter abandoned by the father, a twig of flowers men plucked, a proud star and a warrior above them all.  I take orders from fate, but my fate was dominated by men.  My husband dominated my body, the devil dominated my soul.  Look around me - it’s all generals and soldiers.  Look around me - it’s all heroes and traitors.  Men! It’s them loving me, hating me, spoiling me, jailing me, praising me, despising me, using me, abandoning me, inspiring me, and betraying me.  Men oh men, you are all my men.  I believe in the power of men, this belief will be my illusion and my pride !  Ah,  Love me now, as your wife...       (act6)     

​

​

(C) liusola/KODA/BMI

​

​

​

​

​