Yueju Opera talent hopes for broader audience

She once joined singer-turned-actress Chen Haoyu, 32, anchor and actress Liu Yan, 43, and singer-songwriter Sa Dingding, 40, to perform an adaptation of the megastar Jay Chou's Chinese-style hit song Fa Ru Xue (Snow-like Hair) featuring Yueju Opera pieces.

"The four performers showcased four styles of beauty. Their performance included traditional elements such as sword and fan dancing. I believe this is a brilliant Chinese-style stage performance that more foreign audiences should see," comments a netizen with the username Yuegujiangnan.

Yan Qing, a 24-year-old viewer, says that Chen Lijun's performances in the show piqued her interest in Yueju Opera.

"I watched Chen Lijun's live, unedited Yueju Opera performance on the program. I immediately understood the beauty of this art form and her sincere devotion to the arts. After that, I started searching for Yueju Opera excerpts online," Yan says.

"I joined this show to promote Yueju Opera. I hope our traditional art forms can integrate into people's daily lives and reach a wider audience," Chen Lijun says, adding this journey is "not in vain".

"For each stage performance, I strive to incorporate Yueju Opera elements but also balance them to create performances that suit the stage style. Every other participant's attitude toward life and performance inspires me. Although we excel in different fields, I believe their enjoyment is the same as mine on the opera stage."

French chanteuse Joyce Jonathan is among the participants who have a keen interest in Yueju Opera.

Jonathan's mother runs a travel agency that began promoting tours to China in the 1990s.

"I first came to China when I was 10. I always feel that this is my second home," she says, noting her ability to listen to Chinese and sing some Chinese songs.

To help Jonathan better sing an excerpt from the classic Yueju Opera piece The Red Chamber, Chen Lijun patiently demonstrated each word. With another participant, Shang Wenjie, a singersongwriter and a French major graduate of Fudan University acting as the interpreter, Chen Lijun taught Jonathan how to accurately pronounce the lyrics and modulate her voice for Yueju Opera.

"Chen Lijun is very professional when it comes to opera. She showed me that traditional Chinese opera requires fine-tuned techniques and emotions. It made me appreciate how charming Yueju Opera is," says Jonathan.