It's been eight years since Kunqu opera was recognized as a UNESCO masterpiece of oral and intangible cultural heritage. Kunqu opera, considered the pinnacle of Chinese regional operas, appears well on its way to a renewed status. At this year's Kunqu Opera Festival in Suzhou, the birthplace of the art form, our reporter Luo Chen examines how this centuries-old performance has been reborn both in and out of theatres.
Since its inauguration in 2000, the Kunqu Opera Festival has evolved into a major force that has powered the renewal of 600-year-old opera style.
Opening with a piece called "Eternal Palace", Suzhou has witnessed a Kunqu opera feast of astonishing quality throughout the week. Kunqu powerhouses such as the ones from Shanghai, Beijing and Suzhou, are on hand to showcase their delicate artistry.
The buzz and excitement swell from glamorous theatres to places such as a primary school.
These children, aged seven to fourteen, are rehearsing for their show at the festival. They may have only just learned to read, but these children are already grasping the Kunqu basics.
A primary student said, "My grandmother loves watching Kunqu Opera. I am influenced by her. I became fond of Kunqu before entering school."
"Playing Kunqu opera makes me more elegant, which makes my parents pleased. I feel less wild than I was before," said a primary student.
Both are students from Dayu Lujia Primary School in downtown Suzhou. It is one of a dozen schools that have benefited from a project to popularize the traditional art form since 1998.
Zhang Bijing, principal of Dayu Lujia Primary School, said, "We have designed a steady and continuos training scheme for students. For students of the first and second grade we offer courses about the history and basic knowledge about Kunqu. From the third grade, students begin to learn more about the singing and the basics of performing Kunqu. Then those who are truly talented or interested are chosen to be a part of our art group. There, professional teachers will give them standard training."
Most of the students are not expected to develop into a professional actor. Instead, the hope is that the young generation will foster a lifelong connection with this valuable heritage of their hometown, and help bring it to places they travel to in the future.
In today's Suzhou, Kunqu can be heard everywhere, by a variety of performers from professional to amateur.
The Lanya Kunqu Opera Company is a group of developing actors active on Suzhou's secondary stages. In 2007, a group of Kunqu students that failed to enter formal companies were organized into a single group. The actors may be no comparison with their counterparts in state-run companies, but their passion for Kunqu is equally genuine.
Lanya is the only one independent Kunqu opera company in Suzhou. For the past two years they've face a lot of difficulties, but the actors just don't want to give up their dreams of Kunqu. Now the challenge is how long they can stay in the business.
Unlike the government-run companies, Lanya has to support itself by creating a niche. The group performs at venues scattered around scenic spots and school campuses.
Each actor earns 30 yuan for each day's performances. Their monthly income is around 2000 yuan, or about 300 US dollars. The best prospect for them is to one day qualify at a state-run Kunqu company.
Leng Guijun, director of Lanya Kunqu Opera Company, said, "I would encourage my actors to seek other opportunities. I created this company in 2007 to give them jobs so that they wouldn't give up Kunqu totally. I never hope to make a fortune with the company. But sometimes just earning a living is also difficult due to unstable incomes."
However, the director insists that the existence of Lanya is a necessary element. With a smaller cast and shorter performances, they reach an audience that is virtually neglected by bigger companies.
They may be left out of posh theatres, but, hopefully, not from Kunqu opera itself.