Kunqu opera performers Li An (2nd L) and Yu Bin enact in an excerpt of the traditional repertoire Palace of the Eternal Youth at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2023. The Palace Museum and Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe signed a strategic cooperation agreement here Tuesday to restage Chinese classic operas. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe on March 13 to strengthen collaboration in academic research, theatrical production, and cultural communication.

During the signing ceremony, a small-scale performance featuring two segments from the Palace Museum's collection of traditional Chinese operas was presented. Li An, a recipient of the highest national performing arts award, the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, performed a selection from "Palace of Eternal Life." Kunqu performing artist Zhang Jingxian and guqin player Yang Zhijian performed a selection from "The Peony Pavilion."

Both parties plan to present similar performances on a routine basis. They will feature selected seasonal operas from the collection of operas of the royal palace of the Qing (1644-1911) dynasty, as well as classic series such as "The Three Kingdoms," "Water Margin," "Journey to the West," and the Kunqu opera "The Legend of Golden Bird."

Seasonal operas have been performed during festivals such as New Year's Day, the Beginning of Spring, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Double Ninth Festival since the Qianlong emperor's reign (1736-1795) of the Qing dynasty. These operas played an important role in the palace operas of the Qing dynasty.

The Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe plans to organize some of these seasonal operas and launch a series of themed operas during traditional festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, New Year's Eve, and Qixi Festival.

The troupe will also conduct research and explore various aspects of traditional opera music, costumes, makeup, and props. By combining the excellent traditional culture carried by the Palace Museum, the troupe aims to revive traditional music.

The collaboration between the Forbidden City, a 600-year-old World Heritage Site, and the Kunqu Opera, known as the "Master of Hundred Operas," promises an unparalleled experience for audiences.

The museum houses a vast collection of cultural relics related to traditional operas from the Qing dynasty, according to Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum. It is essential to conduct careful research and ensure the inheritance of this invaluable cultural heritage. Moreover, returning these relics to the stage is an effective way to revive these traditional cultures and make them shine again.

Gu Haohao, director of the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, hopes to "bring back to life" the Palace Museum's opera cultural relics and reintegrate traditional culture into daily life.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)