Hunan Kunqu Opera

Kunqu Opera, named after its place of origin—Kunshan, Jiangsu—is one of the world's three oldest forms of opera, with a history of over 600 years. Known as the "ancestor of all operas," Kunqu holds a significant place in the history of Chinese literature, drama, music, and dance. After the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Kunqu began to flourish in the Chenzhou area of Hunan, where it became known as "Xiangkun" (Hunan Kunqu Opera). In 2001, Kunqu Opera was listed as one of the first Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

However, the "Wu dialect" of Kunqu Opera differed greatly from the "Chu dialect" in Chenzhou, and Hunan Kunqu Opera once fell into obscurity because the "Wu dialect was difficult to understand and unacceptable for local audiences." In 1960, to preserve, carry forward, and develop the art of Hunan Kunqu Opera, the Chenzhou Xiangkun Troupe (later renamed the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe) was established and gradually grew into one of the eight major Kunqu troupes nationwide. Over more than six decades, the troupe has revived, adapted, and staged over sixty full-length operas and more than one hundred excerpted plays.

The show "Xiang Yu, Xiang Kun" tells the story of Liu Sheng, a Kunqu inheritor in the Ming Dynasty, who brought Kunqu back to his hometown at the urging of his mentor Tang Xianzu. By integrating Hunan's local charm and Chu-style rhythms into the rigorous "hand, eye, body, technique, and footwork" of Kunqu, he ultimately created Hunan Kunqu Opera and earned the recognition of his fellow villagers. Compared to the delicate and melodious Southern Kunqu and the bold and resounding Northern Kunqu, Hunan Kunqu Opera's music combines refined elegance common to the genre with a rustic character of its own. Beloved by the public, the opera was praised by Tian Han as "a golden phoenix flying out of a mountain hollow."

Chinese source: Chinanews