Swede acts on passion for Peking Opera

In The Monkey King, Pilotti embodies the character's agile and mischievous characteristics through Peking Opera movements, inspiring his young audience members to be themselves.

"The show has been really successful. Because it's a children's show, we can introduce the Monkey King to Swedish kids, which we did in 2022 and are still performing. We've performed over 150 times and people are still coming," he says.

"The Monkey King is a famous character with many adaptations, so the kids already know a bit about him. But, when they can see the character up close in the show, it can be a surprise."

Apart from merging Peking Opera elements with Western physical theater, Pilotti also attracts children by interacting with them during the show. After almost every show, he hosts a small workshop to teach the children some of the movements.

In addition to theater productions, he has been working as a cultural envoy between China and Sweden, performing Peking Opera on variety shows, appearing in online videos, and giving speeches at forums as a young Sinologist.

"My dream now is to do more cultural exchanges and maybe create a show where Chinese Peking Opera and Swedish actors perform together," he says.

Pilotti shares his work on his social media platforms, with many followers expressing awe at his performance and commending his efforts in promoting traditional Chinese culture.

"The fusion of Eastern and Western cultures is reflected in Pilotti's every move. A Swede falls in love with Chinese traditions, becoming an ambassador of cultural exchange," one of the comments reads.

"I'll learn from Pilotti and put effort into training. After all, 'one minute on stage requires 10 years of hard work behind the scenes'."

Contact the writer at chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn