★★★★☆ The aspirations of art pitted against the never-ending flux of politics. That is the underlying conflict driving Farewell My Concubine, a tale of two Peking Opera singers struggling to preserve themselves and their trade during the revolutionary turbulence of twentieth century China. We first meet Dieyi as he is abandoned by his prostitute mother at an opera training school, with hopes of a better life for her son. Despite a rough start, Dieyi eventually settles in to the harsh way of life of the academy and - because of his rather feminine appearance - is assigned the role of the concubine in rehearsals of the classic Chinese opera that gives the film its name. Along with stage partner and close friend Xiaolou (Fengyi Zhang), Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) hits the big time, and as adults the two men perform at the famed Peking Opera House. But this bliss is not to last,...