Performing arts
No. 2 Yuju Opera Troupe of Henan Province
Updated: Aug 21, 2017
By Chinaculture.org
Chinaculture.org
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The No. 2 Yuju Opera Troupe of Central China's Henan Province was formed by the Chinese Communist Party early in the revolutionary and warring period preceding the founding of the People's Republic of China, and it was affectionately called the "troupe of little children" since it was mainly composed of young performers. After being baptized by the flames of war, the troupe gradually developed and expanded under the consistent concern and support of the government and the Party, and contributed significantly to the publicity of the Party's policies and guidelines as well as the development of Yuju Opera.
The troupe is a professional performing group of both ancient costume operas and modern history operas on the provincial level. With a strong cast and a complete set of different roles, the troupe employs many famous performers from different genres of Yuju Opera.
In its more than half century of existence, the troupe has brought forth generations of influential and hard-working performing artists from all over the country, such as Yan Lipin, Wu Bibo, Tang Xicheng, Li Sizhong and Zhang Guihua. Among them, some of the performers have established different Yuju Opera genres after their own names, and some of their works like "Qin Xuemei" and "Going Down to Chenzhou" have become repertoires for Yuju opera classics.
In recent years, younger artists like Wang Qingfen, Gao Qiuyu, Li Shujian and Xuan Yuting have boldly innovated and established their own performing styles based on the tradition of the Opera Troupe. The new work "Cheng Ying Rescuing the Orphan" starring Li Shujian, who is also the current president of the troupe, won the Wenhua Award at the 7th China Arts Festival. Despite a stagnant traditional Chinese opera market, in the past two years the troupe has performed more than 340 times, earning a revenue of 1.5 million yuan.
As a cultural envoy, the troupe has toured in Japan and Singapore as well as Macao,Hong Kong andTaiwan regions for many times, winning acclaim from both experts and audiences.
Post code: 400053
Tel: (0371) 65338808 65338828
