About the work
Kunqu opera in 55 scenes by Tang Xianzu, originally titled "Mudan Ting" (牡丹亭), completed in 1598. It is the first part of a cycle known as "The Four Dreams of Linchuan", written after Tang retired from government service.
Plot
The young Du Liniang first meets the scholar Liu Mengmei only in a dream, pines away with unfulfilled longing for him, and dies. Returning as a spirit, she finds Liu Mengmei in real life, and when her grave is finally opened she is restored to life; the lovers are ultimately united against their families' resistance.
Cultural significance
"The Peony Pavilion" is considered the most important Kunqu opera and, because its original performance ran for over 22 hours, is sometimes compared to Wagner's "Ring" cycle. In 1999, a 20-hour Lincoln Center production in New York staged the complete version for the first time in roughly 300 years, and in 1998 composer Tan Dun created his own operatic version of the story.