A scene from the 2008 ballet version of The White- Haired Girl. Photo: CFP

By Liu Chang

When asked to name one Chinese opera that they have watched, many Chinese people will answer the same way, "The White-Haired Girl." A revival of the classic production, by China National Opera House, thrilled the audience last night and is playing again this evening at the Great Hall of the People.

The White-Haired Girl was the first classical opera written and performed in Chinese and was staged in 1945 by the Yan'an Luyi Opera Troupe in Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. It was so successful that during its performance, a member of the audience, a soldier stood up from his seat trying to shoot the actor playing the evil landlord. Due to its success and influence, the story was adapted into a movie in 1950 and a ballet in 1965.

Away from the stage for 32 years, today's version is an attempt to bring the classic piece back under the spotlight once again.

"It's aimed at reviving the enthrallment of the story; and capturing the attention of young opera lovers," explained Yu Feng, conductor and producer of The White-Haired Girl and president of China National Opera House, the former Yan'an Luyi Opera Troupe.

"It is one of most difficult operas to perform," Yu added. "It has fi ve scenes, each with a completely different set design and major story confl ict. It poses great challenges to stage designers and performers."

Yu said that despite the di. culties, he felt obliged to present it for audiences of the current generation. "This opera is too classic to be missed on stage. It was the fi rst opera by China National Opera House."

The new production closely follows the original storyline. To better understand the plot and to present it perfectly on stage, Yu visited the only living writer of the opera, He Jingzhi. As a result of the visit, the two decided to preserve all of the original fi ve scenes without deletion or adaptation. "The opera will last for more than three hours and the story will be as complete as when it was fi rst performed," Yu said.

Sets for the opera include a snow scene, interior of a house, a forest and a temple. In terms of music, today's version includes addition pieces to the original music that was performed by traditional Chinese instruments. Performers also sing in Western style instead of traditional Chinese.

"I hope the 2009 version of The White-Haired Girl will attract a young audience. The story is so dramatic and so full of vitality, it is as appealing to an old audience as well as a young audience," Yu added.

Renowned Chinese calligrapher Fan Zeng designed the title of the opera that hangs above the stage during the production.

"The story is also a true refl ection of peasants' life back in the old days, it is educational for those who want to understand the history of this nation better," Yu said.

Local folk legend

The White-Haired Girl is based on a story from northern China, in which a young girl named Xi'er is taken to be a concubine of a landlord after Xi'er's father is beaten to death by the landlord because of a debt that he owed him.

Xi'er is removed from her love, Wang Dachun and works day and night at the landlord's home. Sick and tired of being a slave, Xi'er makes a successful escape from the tyrant's home with the help of the housemaid and hides in the forest. She wears tree leaves, eats wild fruit and fights with beasts.

In the meantime, Wang joins the Liberation Army and they fi nally find Xi'er several years later.

Xi'er's hair has turned completely white because of the deprived life she has been living.

Overjoyed to be reunited with her love, Xi'er returns to the village to marry Wang and join the army while the treacherous landlord is punished for the murder of her father.