Wenzhou's Ouju Opera shines in Paris

The Wenzhou Ouju Opera Art Research Institute was invited to participate in the 9th Traditional Chinese Opera Festival in Paris and performed the classic play Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan at the theater of the Guimet Museum on Nov 8.

The performance received warm applause from the French audience. As China and France celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, opera serves as a treasured link of Chinese culture connecting the two countries.

Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan (Zhang Xie, the top-scoring scholar in the imperial examination) is the earliest and most complete ancient Chinese opera script discovered to date, hailed as "China's first play" and "a living fossil of opera".

The classic play Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan is performed during the 9th Traditional Chinese Opera Festival in Paris. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

"This play not only authentically promotes traditional Chinese culture but also creatively and playfully spreads the allure of opera in the new era," said Fang Rujiang, a leading figure in Ouju Opera and a recipient of the prestigious China Theatre Plum Blossom Award.

The Wenzhou Ouju Opera Art Research Institute has prepared a host of activities for the festival, including theater performances, exhibitions, China-France artist salons, and art lectures, offering a comprehensive and multi-faceted display of the unique charm of Ouju Opera.

Founded in 2003, the Paris Chinese Opera Festival has become an important platform for Sino-French cultural exchange, having already held eight editions with widespread influence globally.