Tradition and Innovation in Chen Shi-Zheng's Peony Pavilion

"Complete" and "authentic" were terms frequently used to describe the fifty-five-scene production of Tang Xianzu's^a Peony Pavilion directed by Chen Shi-Zhengⁱ for the Lincoln Center Festival. David Rolston attended one of the New York performances and explores how this production relates to the performance tradition and what influence it might have on future productions.