Guo Lanying Photo: the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre's official WeChat account

Guo Lanying, a celebrated Chinese opera performer, vocalist and recipient of the national honorary title "People's Artist," passed away due to illness in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday at the age of 97, the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre announced on Wednesday early morning via its official WeChat account.

In accordance with her last wish, no mourning hall, funeral ceremony or farewell ceremony will be held, and her funeral arrangements will be conducted in a simple manner, the theatre said in an official obituary. 

Guo was a first-class performer with the theatre and held a string of state honors, including the "People's Artist" national title, the "Most Beautiful Striver" award, and a lifetime achievement recognition in theatre from the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. She also served as a deputy to several sessions of the National People's Congress, CCTV reported. 

Born on December 31, 1930, in Pingyao, North China's Shanxi Province, Guo was also a performer of traditional Jin opera and a vocal music educator. She earned national acclaim for performing in The White-Haired Girl and for immortalizing songs such as My Motherland and Nanniwan, which have been sung across China for generations. Even at the age of 90, Guo took the stage of China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala in 2020, delivering a heartfelt performance of My Motherland, according to CCTV.

Global Times