Pingju Opera "Prime Minister Hutong" Hits the Stage in Beijing

The Pingju Opera performance "Prime Minister Hutong" has hit the stage at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater Monday in Beijing. The show won an array of trophies at the 6th Pingju Art Festival, including Best Production and Best Director.

"Prime Minister Hutong" takes an in-depth look at urban renewal. Homes are dismantled and people resettled. It uses a unique artistic approach as it details the lives of residents in the Prime Minister Hutong confronting the removal of their apartments.

Prime Minister Hutong" takes an in-depth look at urban renewal.

The performance stars artists from the Changchun Pingju Opera Troupe. The dialogues and the lyrics are sung in dialect of North-east China to hilarious effect. Lead actress Jia Shuceng, who plays Chen Yunqing, is a winner of a Plum Blossom Award, the top honor in Chinese theater. The packed house shows why.

Lead actress Jia Shuceng said, "As an actress, I think you won't portray your role well unless you have a thorough understanding of the whole screenplay and the dialogues. Apart from that, you need to work hard to dig out the hidden inner self of your role."

The show also incorporates elements of Er Ren Zhuan, a hilarious art form enjoying great popularity in North-east China.

Director Li Bin said, "What we do is not merely adopt Er Ren Zhuan into our show. We've fused and integrated it with Pingju Opera as a coherent whole."

The performance touches the heart strings of many audience members. Some say the show truly reflects the great changes that have taken place in China.

Vice major Zheng Wenzhi said, "This is the only show chosen by our city for celebrating the founding of New China. I think the subject matter is excellent. The show met with enthusiastic response in Changchun. The screenplay is greatly recognized by our citizens, for it's all about everyday people."

Apart from the Pingju Opera performance, a lot more shows of various opera forms, including Kunqu, are about to take the stage in the capital in the weeks to come.

Editor: Dong Jirong