The Politics of Love for Every Couple: A Modern Take on Lehár’s Operetta.

Das Land des Lächelns is a romantic operetta composed by Austrian composer Franz Lehár following his success with The Merry Widow. Premiered in 1929, the operetta tells the story of Lisa, the daughter of an Austrian count, who meets and falls in love with Prince Sou-Chong from China at a ball in Vienna. However, the prince’s obligations force him to return to his homeland. Lisa follows him to China but struggles to accept the tradition that allows the prince to have multiple wives, ultimately choosing to leave in sorrow. The aria ‘Dein ist mein ganzes Herz’ (You Are My Heart’s Delight) from the second act is the most celebrated piece in the entire operetta.

After its premiere at the Metropol Theater in Berlin in 1929, Das Land des Lächelns gained widespread popularity. This new production features conductor CHANG Chih-yuan, renowned theater director WANG Chia-ming, and composer and music design LIN Fang-yi, collaborating with Taiwanese vocalists and the NTT & CHEN-YUNG FOUNDATION Choir . WANG Chia-ming has transplanted the story into a contemporary setting, moving away from the dichotomy of East and West. Musically,  LIN Fang-yi has crafted a new interpretation for the operetta, incorporating punk rock and new-age music elements. Through the dialectics of sacred and profane, morality and desire, the truth behind the smiles and the politics of love is unveiled.

Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group

Founded in the summer of 1995, Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group owes its name to the fictional character in Virginia Woolf’s novel A Room of One’s Own, meaning to liberate women’s talents from the oppression of patriarchy. The group aims to develop original scripts and avant-garde theater aesthetics, with no restrictions on subject matter, form, or theme. In addition to presenting new works of theatrical exploration and experimentation each year and engaging in artistic and cultural exchanges both domestically and internationally, the company is also committed to maintaining its creative platform, promoting theater education, and participating in cultural policy initiatives.

NTT & CHEN-YUNG FOUNDATION Choir

Established in 2020, the NTT & CHEN-YUNG FOUNDATION NTT Choir was formed through an open selection process. The choir members undergo training in vocal techniques, dance, theatrical movements, and diction to enhance their professional stage performance abilities. They participate in the annual opera productions of the NTT as soloists and ensemble singers.

| Creative Team |

Conductor／CHANG Chih-yuan

Director／WANG Chia-ming

Composer & Music Design／LIN Fang-yi

Stage Design／HUANG I-ju

Lighting Design／WANG Tien-hung

Movement Design & Coaching／CHEN Po-chieh

Stage Manager／LIN Tai-jung

Producer／CHAO Hsia-hsien

Associate Producer／LU Lin, Hank LIN

Vocal Coach & Chorus Master／HSU Chia-chi

Rehearsal Pianist ／SU Ying-chu

Lisa／LIANG You-jhong

Prinz Sou-Chong／Claude LIN

Gustl／CHANG Yin-chi

Mi／LAI Chueh-yu

Tschang／WEN Ing-jie

Obereunuch／Kurt HSIAO

NTT & CHEN-YUNG FOUNDATION Choir