Folk opera steps into the spotlight

Three folk opera productions from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, and a gala evening of Chinese folk opera highlights will be showcased at Wanping Theater in Shanghai from Wednesday to Sunday.

One of the three operas, Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan (Zhang Xie, the top-score winning scholar for the imperial examination) is based on the surviving script of the earliest Chinese folk opera dating back to the 12th century. The play is believed to be created by a playwright in Wenzhou, and tells the story of a scholar who deserts and attempts to murder his wife for a more profitable marriage proposal.

A "living fossil" of Chinese opera, Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan successfully revived the Yongjia Kunqu Opera Troupe, which made the first production of it in 1999, according to Xu Lyu, a playwright and deputy director of the company.

The Wenzhou opera form is a distinctive branch of Kunqu Opera known as Yongjia Kunqu, or simply Yongkun, characterized by a much faster pace and rustic style of singing and performance. Yongkun originated and developed from the Southern Opera, which is believed to be the first mature form of folk opera in China dating back to the 12th century.

"Most of the Kunqu Opera shows, such as those performed in Shanghai, Nanjing and Suzhou of Jiangsu province, are refined and elegant, traditionally appreciated by audiences of high social ranking," Xu tells China Daily. However, in the countryside of Wenzhou, it was a popular form of entertainment among the working people. "That nurtured a more coarse and straightforward style of Yongkun," he says.

In the Yongkun production of Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan, six actors portray altogether 13 characters, with the change of their makeup and costumes done in front of the audience. There are no props on the stage, so the doors, chairs and tables are also performed by these actors.

The other two operas are Sha Gou Ji (The Tale of a Dead Dog), which will be presented by the Wenzhou Ouju Opera Troupe on Aug 11, and Jing Chai Ji (A Tale of the Thorny Hairpin), which will be staged by the Wenzhou Yueju Opera Troupe on Aug 12.

All three operas are representative shows of the Southern Opera heritage, which is an important part of the local culture of Wenzhou, as the city takes pride being the cradle of Chinese folk opera. After performances in Shanghai, the Wenzhou opera series will go on a nationwide tour, which will include performances in Beijing, Guangzhou of Guangdong province and other cities of China.

If you go

• Folk Opera Gala Night featuring artists from Wenzhou

7:30 pm, Aug 9

• Ouju Opera: Sha Gou Ji

(The Tale of a Dead Dog)

7:30 pm, Aug 11

• Yueju Opera: Jing Chai Ji

(A Tale of the Thorny Hairpin)

7:30 pm, Aug 12

• Yongkun Opera: Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan

7:30 pm, Aug 13

Wanping Theater, 859 Zhongshan No 2 Road South, Xuhui district, Shanghai. 021-6439-5388

zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn