2008年底在台灣演出的作曲《桃花扇》，為當代戲曲學者曾永義根據清代孔尚任的南戲傳奇《桃花扇》所改寫的劇作，特別設計了兩個不同風格的音樂版本：由台灣當代作曲家游昌發全新作曲的「新編現代中國歌劇」《桃花扇》；以及依據傳統戲曲曲牌、重新編腔的「新編崑曲」《李香君》。本文所討論的對象，為游昌發作曲的中文歌劇版本。該作品處處可見作曲家意圖發展出「結合戲曲傳統」又「不同於戲曲」，新的「中文歌劇音樂語言」。作曲家使用傳統戲曲為本文基礎，卻有意捨棄曲牌固有音樂的結構形式，尋找更豐富的劇場聲響。使用東西混合的器樂編制：保留傳統戲曲「後場」的鑼鼓標點、渲染氣氛的功能，亦加入西方歌劇的管絃樂團，發展《桃花扇》獨特的劇場聲響。人聲部分，則嘗試開拓不同於西方歌劇的美聲唱法、保留戲曲唱念風格的新音色。歌劇起用傳統戲曲演員擔綱主角，取其唱腔音色；但戲曲演員演唱的歌曲為全新的現代歌樂新作；重整南曲的「集曲」曲牌，發展出新的歌曲曲式，並呈現「非原曲牌曲調」的新旋律、「非調性」之現代音樂風格，以及非戲曲習用的器樂伴奏形態等，對傳統戲曲演員而言，為一大挑戰。此外，突破傳統戲曲的單旋律型態，加入「二重唱」；引用傳統戲曲的「韻白」與「念白」，發展出界於戲曲與歌劇風格間的歌曲。歌劇《桃花扇》的作曲手法游走於東、西音樂形式與美學的模糊邊界，其聲響與形式，對於作曲家、導演，演出者，乃至於進場觀賞的觀眾，皆極具挑戰性與爭議性。

The version of ＂Taohuashan＂ performed in the end of 2008 in Taiwan was adapted from original repertoire of Qing dynasty playwright Kong Shangren by contemporary traditional Chinese opera scholar, ZengYong-yi.Two completely different musical editions were derived from the script of ＂Taohuashan＂. One named ＂New Contemporary Chinese Opera- Taohuashan＂was written by Taiwan contemporary composer, Yu Chang-fa. The other named ＂New Kun-Qu Li Xiangjun＂ was adapted from primary QuPai into a new aria. The object in this article is Chinese Opera ＂Taohuashan＂, developing from the tradition of traditional Chinese opera yet using a brand new musical language of Chinese Opera, which demonstrated a clear trial made by the composer.＂Taohuashan＂ was based on the convention of traditional Chinese opera. Nevertheless, the composer had an obvious tempt to discard the inherent musical structure of traditional QuPai and enriched it with drama music. As to instrumental part, force field percussion of traditional Chinese opera combined with orchestra of western opera reflected a sound of mixture style. The composer simultaneously tried to use traditional Chinese opera vocalization which was a different vocal from the bel canto of western opera. Performers of traditional Chinese opera were main characters to assure the singing and movement of Chinese Theater,however, the songs were innovated from Modern musical concepts. Songwriting techniques were revealed in many ways such as musical forms developed from the Ji-Qu, lyrics integrated with pentatonic scale, Chinese language tone, and modern atonal music, complex accompaniment of instruments that traditional Chinese opera artists were not familiar with, polyphonic duet on top of common monophonic melody of traditional Chinese opera, and novel styles of songs derived from conventional oral skills of traditional Chinese opera.