'Apostate' offers a refreshing take on classical Chinese music and opera

The Star

18 hours ago

Acclaimed theatre show Apostate will finally be performed outside Taiwan, making its international debut in Kuala Lumpur this month.
Set to play at Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from June 20-22, the show is part of the venue's 20th anniversary celebration, with ticket proceeds supporting its fundraising drive.
Apostate weaves together two stories from different eras, blending tradition and modernity into a captivating main stage performance.
A collaboration between Approaching Theatre and Gang-a Tsui Theatre, the original 2023 production in Taiwan swept the Grand Prize at the 22nd Taishin Arts Award and Jury Prize at the 35th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music.
'Apostate' doubles as a fundraising effort to support KLPac's sustainability as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
'This is our third collaboration with the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia, and Malaysian audiences have consistently responded well. Last year's Jingju Magic became CloudJoi's second bestselling show, reflecting the quality of Taiwan's artistry and the strong ties between our artistes,' says KLPac's Maggie Ong, the producer of Apostate here.
' Apostate promises the same, and we're excited to welcome back Kedah-born director Koh Choon Eiow, who is based in Taiwan, returning to Malaysia after nearly a decade,' she adds.
Timeless tales
In Apostate , the first story is based on an excerpt from a beloved traditional opera, which tells the tale of a loyal envoy who was held hostage in a foreign land for over a decade and is made to marry his captor's daughter.
The second story takes place in the 1950s during the Cold War, focusing on a character whose political stance wavers due to the turbulent times he finds himself in.
Playwright and director Koh, 53, says Apostate explores the very core of human existence.
'Classical stories often hold surprising relevance today. When we revisit them, we uncover parallels that speak to current realities – how individuals face moral dilemmas, navigate power structures, and wrestle with personal choice. These timeless narratives reveal the fragility and complexity of human nature in a changing world,' says Koh, who regularly collaborates with theatre troupes across South Korea, Macau, Hong Kong, and South-East Asia.
'The two narratives unfold in parallel throughout the play. We did not deliberately connect them in the plot. Instead, we juxtaposed past and present to explore the themes and emotions we wanted to discuss,' he adds.
Performed in Mandarin with Quanzhou dialects and English surtitles, 'Apostate' features a cast of 12 actors and musicians.
Performed in Mandarin with Quanzhou dialects and English surtitles, the play features 12 actors and musicians, including Wei Mei-Hui, Chen Yan-Xi, Cheng Yin-Chen, Hung Chien-Tsang, Wang Chao-Yang, Li Wei-Cih, Chen Chia-Wen, Liao Yu-Ning, Lao Hong-Ling, Chen Hsiao-Ying, Liu Meng-Ling and Chen Yi-Lien.
Taiwanese theatre has become a yearly highlight in KLPac's programme, with local audiences warmly embracing previous offerings such as Luna and Jingju Magic , supported by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia.
Apostate carries an added layer of meaning through Koh's Malaysian roots, making its staging here all the more special.
'A thousand-year-old clear sound'
Audiences will get a taste of Nanguan, a style of Chinese classical music from the southern Chinese province of Fujian that was inscribed to Unesco's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
According to Koh, Nanguan, also known as Fuijan Nanyin, is one of the oldest forms of traditional Chinese music.
'It's often described as 'a thousand-year-old clear sound' because it has preserved many elements from ancient Chinese music, going as far back as the Han and Wei dynasties.
'From its instruments to its performance style and even the role it plays in society, Nanguan has kept a lot of traditions alive that are rarely seen today,' says Koh.
He adds that Nanguan isn't just music, but also a form of traditional theatre, which is now known as Liyuan opera.
In the upcoming performance in KL, traditional Liyuan opera musicians will perform live on stage.
Liyuan opera can be traced back to Quanzhou, southern Fujian, and is performed in the Quanzhou dialect. In the past, there were three different schools or styles of this opera, but in 1952, they were combined under the name 'Liyuan opera'.
In the upcoming performance in Kuala Lumpur, traditional Liyuan opera musicians will perform live on stage alongside contemporary sound design to create an immersive experience for the audience.
'What's special about Liyuan opera is how it blends the elegant and poetic nature of Nanguan music with theatre, creating a performance that's both musical and visual.
'With its rich aesthetic heritage, it brings a refined and stylised performance language – its gestures, movement, and vocal expression offer a kind of restraint and elegance that contrasts beautifully with contemporary theatre,' explains Koh.
A meaningful homecoming
This production also marks a deeply anticipated homecoming for Taipei-based director Koh, an esteemed Asian Cultural Council grantee.
Having left KL in 2004 to pursue an MFA at Chinese Culture University in Taipei, Koh quickly established himself within Taiwan's avant-garde theatre scene, notably with Chronology On Death in 2011.
He co-founded Approaching Theatre in 2014 with his longtime partner, Cheng Yin-chen, a well-respected arts practitioner, who is part of the Apostate cast in KL.
Nearly a decade has passed since his last directorial work in Malaysia, Tiapa in 2016, making this return a significant moment in his artistic journey.
' Tiapa was a rare and powerful experience. Through it, I felt a strong emotional bond with our country, our society and the everyday realities we all share. That's why I've always hoped to continue building these kinds of collaborations where we can exchange ideas, grow together, and move forward side by side,' says Koh.
'I look forward to sharing this work and sparking deeper conversations about our past and present,' says playwright and director Koh.
The director admits that he feels both excited and a bit nervous about bringing Apostate to Malaysia.
'I'm unsure if local audiences will like it, especially since it centres on traditional opera. I'm curious how it will be received,' he says.
Though Apostate is a co-production between two Taiwanese theatre companies and one story is set in 1950s Taiwan, Koh believes audiences in KL will still connect deeply with its themes of historical displacement, identity, and survival.
'At first glance, it may seem distant from Malaysia, but in truth, both our nations were shaped by global power struggles. The play looks at individuals living on the margins, people who choose betrayal or abandon past identities in order to survive or pursue ambition.
'I look forward to sharing this work and sparking deeper conversations about both our pasts and our present,' he concludes.
Apostate is set to play at Pentas 2, KLPac from June 20-22. More info: klpac.org, cloudjoi.com.