A group of young 20-somethings is eschewing hip hop and disco in favor of the traditional singing and dancing of Yueju Opera. Their success may determine its survival.

The nine young women look like any other group of urban 20-year-olds: trendy, made-up, fashionable. And of course, like any group of young women, they love dancing and singing. Probe a little deeper, though, and you'll find that the dancing and singing that enthuses this group is somewhat unusual -- because the object of their passion is not hip-hop or disco, but rather traditional Chinese Yueju Opera.

The young women are, in fact, Yueju Opera performers, who will be featured in a production of the Shanghai Yueju Opera House, showcasing the new generation: The Red Mansion Troupe: The New Performer Show 2004. The show, says director You Boxin, is "an important step in cultivating talent."

Yueju Opera originated in Shengzhou County in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. In the context of traditional opera, it is relatively new, dating back to only 1852, during the reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was then that a peasant in Shengzhou began a unique form of storytelling through singing. The singing evolved, and was called "Yinga Melody" until 1938, when it was renamed Yueju Opera (Shaoxing was the capital of Yue state during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-467 BC). Yueju Opera remains popular in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, as well as in Shanghai. It's even said that in its birthplace, Shaoxing, nearly all the locals are accomplished Yueju singers.

Like Peking Opera, Yueju Opera combines classical singing, dancing and acting into one form. Unlike its more famous counterpart, however, Yueju does not emphasize the martial arts. Most Yueju performers are women, with even the male parts played by women, giving the opera a distinctively feminine style.

The Shanghai Yueju Opera House is one of the nation's better known opera houses, and has won numerous national awards over the years. Recently, it has focused its efforts on cultivating young performers. "We want to give our young performers more opportunities," says 40-year-old Qian Huili, vice director of the Yueju Opera House and a renowned Yueju star. "The future of Yueju is in their hands."

The nine young women all come from the opera houses' own Red Mansion Troupe, which is an all-women performer troupe under the opera house. Most of them have been practicing Yueju for at least five years. Despite their young age, some have even been at it for 10 years. "My family are all Yueju fans," says Wang Jie, one of the new performers. "So as a child I came to adore the opera and particularly the beautiful costumes -- you know that's a woman's nature." At 14, Wang was enrolled in the Shanghai Traditional Opera School, which is part of the Shanghai Theater Academy, where she specialized in the huadan (roles of young girls). After six years' assiduous study, she graduated in 2001. It was not, by any means, an easy road. "There was plenty of hardship and bitterness," she confesses. "When I first started to practice kungfu, my legs got so sore that I couldn't even climb one step." But she persevered, and today plays the heroine in major plays like Butterfly Lovers and The Last Queen. Last year, her work won her the nomination for best new performer in a major Yueju Opera awards in Shanghai.

In an era with so many influences and options for young people, the young women who select this traditional path are clearly unique and certainly praiseworthy. All the more so because they have made the choice to follow the path less taken. "If I were to tell you that I've been ignoring the options of other professions, other attractions, I'd be lying to you," admits Li Luyan, one of the nine new performers. "There has been much wavering and hesitation, but the bottom line is that I really love the traditional opera. That love has made the choice for me." Li plays the xiaosheng (roles of young men), and is a student of Qian Huili. Many say that Li resembles Qian so much that she looks like Qian's daughter. "Under the guidance of our teachers, we're also adding new elements to this traditional opera, such as new costumes and modern body movements," Li notes. "Yueju, although a traditional opera, is not static, and is catching up with the times."

The efforts of the young women have not gone unnoticed. "The Red Mansion Troupe has created their own brand," says Tong Sanqiang of the Shanghai Oriental TV Station. "The new blood has proven both their capability and their strength." "We've introduced a host of productions from all over the world over the past five years," says Wang Ming, who is the deputy general manager of the Shanghai Grand Theater. "But it's more important to promote our own culture and provide a platform for our traditional opera performers."

The upcoming concerts of this young troupe consists of six scenes, four of which highlight arias from classical plays, while the other two are newly created. The new productions include The Last Queen, which tells the incredible tale of Wan Rong, the last Qing Dynasty queen and Farewell to Xiaoxiang a story from China's most famous novel, A Dream of the Red Mansions, a tragic tale of a hero's sadness over his dead lover. Additional productions, featuring the young stars of tomorrow, will be held in April.

More about Yueju As part of its evolution during the 1940s, Yueju Opera has had various offshoots. There are altogether six widely recognized schools: Yuan, Fu, Qi, Fan, Yin and Xu, each of which is named after the six greatest Yueju performers.

Yuan school: Characterized by pure, tender singing, which releases true emotions and feelings, this school represents kind, tender women. Fu school: Known for its vivid performances and gesticulations, it represents open and willful females. Qi school: Featuring indirect, depressed singing, the school mainly represents tragic roles. Fan school: Roles of this school are simple, honest men, characterized by rustic, energetic singing. Yin school: The singing is smooth and deep, representing romantic, smart male intellectuals. Xu school: The singing is magnificent and unrestrained, representing a soulful spirit. Yueju Roles The roles in Yueju fall into six categories:

Xiaodan -- the roles of girls and young ladies, which can be divided into six sub-categories: beidan, tragic females; huadan, lively young ladies; guimendan, rich young ladies; huashan, young ladies who have the characteristics between huadan and guimendan; zhengdan, middle-aged ladies; wudan, females with good martial arts skills. Xiaosheng -- roles of young men -- have four details: shusheng, elegant and smart intellectuals; qiongsheng, poor and distressed males; guansheng, officials and aristocrats; wusheng, males with good martial art skills; laosheng, old males. Xiaochou, roles of clowns Laodan, roles of old females Dahualian, roles of treacherous court officials and hooligans (usually recognized by their white make-up).

Performance Details:

Dates: 7:15pm, March 7-8

Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 People's Ave

Ticket Prices: 40-100 yuan

Booking: 6272-7999

(eastday.com March 4, 2004)