Shaoxing stages overture to revive opera

Shaoxing, China, December 29, 2024 — In Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, a new act has begun to preserve traditional Yueju Opera.

Yueju Opera artists in Paris, October 2024. [Photo/Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yueju Opera Troupe]

On Dec 27, the city announced the “Regulations on the Protection, Inheritance, and Development of Yueju Opera,” which will take effect on Jan 1. This marks China’s first legislative focus on this opera genre.

The legislation comprises five chapters and 32 articles. It was developed from over 600 ideas and many edits to address the challenges of preserving Yueju Opera.

Yueju Opera was born in 1906 in Shengzhou, Shaoxing, with part-time farmers as its first performers. The New Culture Movement in the 1910s and 1920s pushed for change, encouraging women to form the first all-female Yueju troupe.

This troupe then moved to Shanghai, where they learned from other Chinese operas and even Western dramas, winning standing ovations from diverse audiences. The art form mixed stories, music, and drama. It’s known for its actresses portraying male roles, adding a twist to conventional narratives.

As the opera gained acclaim, Shanghai media began referring to it as Yueju, a nod to its roots in Shaoxing, which was part of the State of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC).

Yueju Opera was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. There were over 280 professional groups and many amateur ones across China, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

In the 1980s, Zhejiang chose over 200 young talents from among thousands to form the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yueju Opera Troupe.

In 2006, Yueju Opera was recognized as one of China’s first national intangible cultural heritage items.

More than 100 Yueju troupes, schools, and societies exist today, particularly in Zhejiang and Shanghai. Some even perform abroad in Singapore, the United States, and Australia.

The Shengzhou Yueju Opera Troupe, from the opera’s birthplace, performs over 130 productions yearly, including The Butterfly Lovers. Shengzhou has over 100 private troupes and nearly 8,000 performers. They deliver 30,000 to 40,000 performances annually.

Drawing on Yueju Opera’s rich history and active community, the new legislation, effective from New Year’s Day, orchestrates the development of cultural areas, an archive, and a system to applaud its leading stars. It also supports Yueju parks, cultural pathways, and niche theaters, enhancing tourism and extending the opera’s global echo.

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