Qinqiang Opera Yisushe is staged at the ongoing China Art Festival in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The production tells the story of the 100-year-old troupe. (Photo provided to China Daily)
"Unlike other arts troupes, which were founded by folk artists to make ends meet, Yisushe was founded with the hope of making a difference for the country by educating the people who were poor and couldn't afford school education," says Yong Tao, the director of Yisushe.
"Yisushe also played an important role when the country faced wars and social turbulence, including the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45). We want to reveal the history of the troupe with the production."
Yong, who joined the troupe in 2007, also says that the idea of producing the new play came up in 2012 when Yisushe celebrated its 100th anniversary. However, the idea took years to be fulfilled.
"We revised the script many times since Yisushe has a long history and there are lots of stories and characters," says Yong.
Yong invited Lu Ang, a professor of Shanghai Theater Academy, to direct, Liu Guicheng to write the script, and veteran actors from Yisushe to act in the production. The stories told in the show are based on real historic events while the characters are fictional.
Chen Chaowu, a 47-year-old Qinqiang Opera actor and the deputy director of Yisushe, plays the role of Liu Tiansu, which is based on Liu Zhensu and Wang Tianmin, two famous performers of nan dan (male actors playing female roles).
"Both the nan dan actors have been compared to Mei Lanfang, one of the most famous Peking Opera artists. They were not only respected for their art but also for taking social responsibility," says Chen.
