The Best of Traditional Chinese Theatre

Description

Founded in 1983, the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre is the first arts award in China to recognise outstanding theatre performers and encourage the development of traditional theatre. The Plum Blossom Award Art Troupe was established in 2005 by the China Theatre Association to help promote Chinese performing arts both at home and abroad. Over the last 28 years, the troupe has travelled extensively, enjoying great popularity among national and international audiences.

A comprehensive line-up of Xiqu performances will be featured to highlight the distinct features of these regional forms. They include Gannan tea-picking opera (a humorous folk art form of Chinese traditional theatre that originated in the tea growing regions of Jiangxi), Kunqu (the oldest surviving form of Chinese traditional theatre native to the Kunshan district near Suzhou), Ouju (named after the Ou Rivera; a form of Chinese traditional theatre native to Wenzhou, Zhejiang), Pingju (a northern form of Chinese traditional theatre native to Tangshan, Hebei), Yuju (a form of Chinese traditional theatre that originated in Henan), Yueju(a form of Chinese traditional theatre native to Shaoxing, Zhejiang), as well as Xiqu (regional variations and forms of Chinese traditional theatre). The programme also showcases individual performing styles and offers an introduction to Chinese traditional theatre.