After the breakout success of the hit TV drama The Lead, Qinqiang Opera is gaining attention far beyond its traditional audience. In this episode of Cultural Frontline, Li Mei, president of the Shaanxi Opera Research Institute, opens up on how Qinqiang Opera can thrive in the digital age. She says young performers must build strong fundamentals through rigorous stage training, while traditional arts must also embrace new technology to reach a wider audience. The show also visits Xi'an Film Studio, co-producer of The Lead, to experience an immersive Extended Reality (XR) film about Qinqiang Opera. Using high-precision stereoscopic film and a VR headset, the project places the viewer in the middle of a Qinqiang Opera performance by Li Mei, bringing spectacular stage techniques such as fire-breathing to life. To find out more, click the video.
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