Premiere of Peking Opera: “Youth Dream of China”

“Youth Dream of China”, an original contemporary Peking opera sponsored by Wenhui Daily and Hongkou District Education Bureau, debuted on the stage of Wanping Theatre recently. “It never occurred to me that Peking Opera is so wonderful!” said an audience who’s deeply moved by the performance.

This Peking opera has two storylines. One storyline tells the story of Tao Xingzhi, an educator in the 1930s who established a “learning group” for poor newspaper boys. The second storyline takes the “Songhu Anti-Japanese War” as its background. The director has made reference from the performance styles of traditional Peking opera, and combined the expressive forms of children’s drama with musicals and modern drama.

This opera describes the newspaper boys’ patriotism, their enthusiasm of learning and the bravery of Chinese soldiers in the Anti-Japanese War with abundant scenes and poetical forms of expression. Some interesting episodes, such as a lantern dance in the graveyard at midnight, were also added in the opera.

Many young audiences said that they’ve never seen any Peking opera performance before, and they feel it difficult to understand the facial masks of Peking opera. But “Youth Dream of China” is different. The actors wear simple and interesting costumes on stage. The entire opera is full of childlike atmosphere and is suitable for children to appreciate it.

Shanghai Mengtao Drama Club wrote this Peking opera and provided funds to the scriptwriters. Hu Yunqi, Head of Shanghai Students Dance Troupe, was invited to be the artistic consultant of this Peking opera.

By: Huang Chunyi, Zhang Peng