Art form widens its reach, sends cultural message

Performer appears on stage at Zaifen Huangmei Opera Theatre in Anqing, Anhui province. ZHU LIXIN/CHINA DAILY

Li Huimin, an official at the county's culture, sports and tourism bureau, said these performances are usually held during agricultural off-seasons, traditional festivals and holidays.

Bai Yuhua, a seasoned actor from the Huangmei Opera Troupe of Huaining county, is eager to perform in these shows.

"Huaining is a place deeply rooted in the tradition of Huangmei Opera, where the local community has a profound understanding of this art form, so we need to approach each performance extremely seriously," he said.

Performing on a simple outdoor stage, the players are sometimes exposed to the elements such as harsh sunlight and downpours. It's an even greater challenge performing in chilly weather. However, there are always moments when Bai feels that all the hard work is worthwhile.

"One winter night when I was performing in a village, I played the male lead in Tian Xian Pei. During one scene in which I had to part company with the female lead, I clearly saw tears in the eyes of villagers in the audience. At that moment, I was deeply engrossed in my role, and I shed tears as well," Bai said.

"This emotional resonance between the stage and the audience left a profound impression on me."

Liu Lihua, head of the Huangmei Opera Troupe of Huaining county, said these shows at grassroots level are aimed at bringing high-quality artistic experiences to local people, enriching their cultural lives, and cultivating fertile ground for the theatrical arts.

However, she noticed that during visits to villages across the county, most audiences consisted of seniors and children, with few young people attending. As a result, early last year, Liu made a new attempt to attract young audience members to engage with the theater.