Wuju opera to debut at Milan China week

Broken Bridge, one of the classic Wuju operas to be performed by Wuju Opera Institute at the China Week in Milan, Italy, showcases one episode of the Legend of the White Snake. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Wuju Opera Institute from Jiangshan, a county-level city in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, has been invited to put on a performance at the second half of the China Week to be held in Milan, Italy in early February.

Having originated during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Wuju opera is popular in Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. With its special facial makeups, costumes, and stage properties, the opera was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

As the only invited traditional Chinese opera troupe, the Wuju opera performers will perform a series of classic operas and hand lion dances during the upcoming second half of the China Week.

Besides this, they will also stage Wuju operas in local universities, communities and Confucius Institutes to help local residents learn more about traditional Chinese culture.

Approved by Milan's city council and the Chinese embassy in Italy, the China Week is the first to be held in Italy, themed on Chinese culture and  Sino-Italian cultural exchanges.

The event's first half was held from Nov 4 to Dec 19, 2018.