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The Cast |
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| Macbeth: |
Gary Simpson (25, 27, 29/9)
Marco Chingari (26, 28/9)
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Lady Macbeth: |
Xiuwui Sun (25, 27, 29/9)
Frabcesca Patane (26, 28/9) |
| Banquo: |
Haojiang Tian
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Macduff: |
Luigi Frattola |
| Malcolm: |
Alex Tam (25, 27, 29/9)
David Quah (26, 28/9)
¡@ |
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Dama: |
Katusha Tsui-Fraser |
| Medico: |
Pong Chung-lam |
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Assassin: |
Sylvester Che | |
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The Story |
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| Background |
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| The opera takes place in Scotland in the middle of the 11th century. |
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| Act I |
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| Scene 1 |
On the evening following a day of heavy fighting, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three covens of witches. They address Macbeth as Thane of Glamis and prophesy to him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and future King of Scotland. Banquo, however, will not reign but will be father to kings. The witchers then disapper.
Messengers from King Duncan arrive, bringing Macbeth the news of his new title. They announce that the Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason. Macbeth will assume his office. |
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| Scene 2 |
In Macbeth's castle, through a letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth learns of the happy news. Driven by boundless ambition, she decides to do everything to secure her husband's path to power
It is announced that King Duncan will spend the night in the castle. Lady Macbeth views this occasion as a welcome opportunity of spurtting on her husband to murder the King in his sleep. Macbeth hesitates but can no longer resist his wife's merciless urgings and resolves to commit the momentous crime. His conscience begins to plague him. Torturois thoughts almost drive him mad. The cold-blooded Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, has no sympathy for such pangs of conscience.
On the following morning, Macduff and Banquo discover the horrible murder and immediately call together all those assembled in the castle. All, including Macbeth and his Lady, curse the unknown murderer. |
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| Act II |
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| Scene 1 |
| With Duncan's death, the witches' second prophecy has been fulfilled: Macbeth is King of Scotland. But the so easily won crown soon proves to be a curshing burden: had not the witches prophesied that Banquo's offspings would bear the crown? Macbeth quickly makes up his mind to commit a further murder. |
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| Scene 2 |
| An assassin is hired to kill Banquo and his son, who are on their way to the castle to attend a banquet at Macbeth's invitation. The Assassin and his accomplices prepare the ambush. Banquo is murdered. His son escapes. |
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| Scene 3 |
During the evening's festivities, there suddenly appears, visible only to Macbeth, the ghost of the murdered man; at this moment, Macbeth almost loses all control.
Macduff, a Scottish nobleman, recognizes the truth and leaves for England. He wished to join Malcolm, Duncan's son, for the campaign against Macbeth. |
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| Act III |
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| Macbeth returns once again to the witches. He wishes to learn more about his fate. The prophecies prove to be cryptic: no man born of woman can harm him, and none can defeat him unless Birnam Wood moves against him. Eight specters of kings apper before Macbeth in an errie hallucination. He collapses in terror. |
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| Act IV |
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| Scene 1 |
| In the country side, refugees from Scotland sing of their oppressed nation. Macduff learns of the death of his wife and children, slaughtered on Macbeth's orders. He swears vengeance. |
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| Scene 2 |
| Incapacitated by mental derangement, Lady Macbeth sleep-walks through the gloomy castle and tries in vain to wash away an imaginary blood stain from her hands. She finally dies insane. |
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| Scene 3 |
| Macbeth arms himself fot the struggle against his enemies, who are approaching the castle from Birnam Wood. The soldiers carry branches as camouflage; thus it appears as if the wood is moving toward the castle. Macbeth feels his end is near, but he is still able to go confidently into action against Macduff, the enemy leader. |
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| Scene 4 |
Macduff informs Macbeth that he was not born of woman but was ripped from his mother's womb, by caesarian birth. The witches had so prophesied.
Macbeth is killed in the duel. Maclcolm becomes the new King of Scotland. |
