Yueju Opera play provides an insight into military life
The play depicts the growth and emotions of the Eighth Company on Nanjing Road.
Shanghai Yueju Opera Company's play "Good Eighth Company on Nanjing Road" was staged at the Wanping Theater on August 1 to mark China's Army Day.
Yueju Opera performers Xu Biaoxin, Feng Jun, and Xu Jie feature in the performance, which depicts the Eighth Company's growth and feelings on Nanjing Road.
It is also a testimony to the troops' loyalty and character, who have performed numerous acts of kindness for people throughout the years.
Director Lu Ang, whose accomplishments include the opera "The Orphan of Zhao" and the modern Peking Opera drama "Red Agent," said that the Yueju Opera performance intends to provide the audience with insight into contemporary military life.
The play is a tribute to the dedication of soldiers down the years.
Male Yueju Opera performers take center stage in the play.
Actor Xu Biaoxin, who portrays an instructor, said they received one month of military training and interviewed Eighth Company members to portray the roles accurately.
"We have learned a lot from their postures and the way they talk," Xu said. "We have also adjusted our vocals to the portrayal of different facets of the roles."
Women typically portray male characters in traditional Yueju Opera performances.
Veteran performer Xu Jie said that female performers used to take center stage in Yueju Opera performances, but this is the first time that many male performers have emerged to demonstrate their talents.
"It is also a successful exploration of the art form, which is normally thought to be romantic and tender, to have male and female co-performances on the stage," Xu said.
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