Keeping traditional opera alive, and passing it on
Children perform Peking Opera in the opening ceremony of the opera cultural festival in Beizhan Subdistrict.
An exhibition featuring photos and items of renowned Kunqu Opera masters opens.
An exhibition to promote the traditional Chinese operas was unveiled on Friday, starting this year’s opera cultural festival in the Beizhan Subdistrict in Jing’an District.
The exhibition displays photos of the 10 renowned Kunqu opera masters such as Zhang Jingxian and Liu Yilong, and the items they used, from exquisite headdresses used on stage to the patched socks they wore in their poor days.
It runs through October 8 in the newly opened culture venue on 383 Tianmu Road M., the largest of its kind of the city’s communities where people can get immersed in the culture of Peking and Kunqu operas.
There, people can wear makeup and traditional costumes to experience traditional operas.
Also, they can have a seat to read books related to Chinese culture and enjoy shows combining traditional operas with modern arts such as flash mobs.
It will foster local interest in traditional Chinese operas, and create a great cultural ambience in the community, according to Cheng Kai, director of the Party’s working committee of the subdistrict.
The venue opens from 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Admission is free.
Eight renowned Kunqu opera masters attended the opening ceremony. They enjoyed Peking opera shows performed by local children and shows by today’s young Kunqu opera performers.
“All of us are about 80 years old. I have partnered with Liu Yilong for nearly 66 years. The time I spent with him was longer than with my wife,” said Fang Yang.
Zhang Mingrong said now he often goes to schools to teach them about Kunqu and he hopes the new generation can pass on the traditional culture.
