Yueju Opera To Commemorate Opera Master Xu Yulan With Performance Series

To commemorate the late Yueju Opera master Xu Yulan, who died on April 19, the Shanghai Yueju Opera Company will present a series of performances in the new year.

Two performances of "A Dream of Red Mansions" will be staged at the Shanghai Grand Theater from February 18 to 19. The play will also start a three-month nationwide tour in March.

The Yueju Opera version of "A Dream of Red Mansions" was originally created by Xu and other old artists such as Wang Wenjuan and Lu Ruiying. The version made its debut on February 18, 1958.

It is not only a representative play of Xu, but a classic production of Yueju Opera as well. Xu vividly depicted the protagonist Jia Baoyu, who witnessed the rise and fall of a large ancient Chinese feudal family.

Students of Xu, including Qian Huili, Zheng Guofeng, Shan Yangping and Wang Zhiping, will present their new interpretations of the classic. Artists from the original 1958 version will also show up at the end of the performance and interact with the audience members.

From February 23 to 25, another well-known play of Xu, "Chase the Carp," as well as some of her classic excerpts, will be staged by young performers. "Chase the Carp" is a love story between a young scholar and a carp fairy.

"Xu boasted a charming and passionate performing style, which has influenced generations of performers," said Qian Huili, Xu's student and deputy director of the Shanghai Yueju Opera Company. "We will also host workshops and release special albums in memory of the artist."