Keeping the flame burning

Giving an example of her commitment, Cao Lijie, deputy director of the troupe, says: "Once she was locked in a toilet right before a performance. She then tried so hard to open the door that her hands were bleeding, but ignoring her injuries she got onto the stage.

"She has driven us to be practical and steadfast in our work."

Even a lack of infrastructure fails to put off Shao. And the troupe typically prepares several stage designs to suit various surroundings. "We are even ready for outdoor performances with a couple of lights," she says.

Of all the 40 students recruited for professional training in Huadeng opera in 1978, Shao is the only one who remains in the troupe.

The next batch was enrolled in 1987, and it was not until 2013, with cooperation between the troupe and Yunnan Arts University, that there was a professional training class of 30.

Now, recruitment for the next batch in cooperation with the Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts, is on.

For the past 26 years, the troupe has had to recruit students that majored in singing, dancing or acting before teaching them Huadeng opera from scratch.

"It was hard for them," says Shao. "Sometimes I taught my students six to eight hours at a time, sentence by sentence. I could see that they were getting tired, but I had no choice."

And things may be about to change soon. Guizhou's provincial government has recently released its suggestions on the development of local opera forms.

And with more national and local support, Shao, who is still in the thick of things when it comes to Huadeng opera, says: "I will try my best to create high-quality works that are worthy of the times."