Traditional Chinese Opera Troupes Take Action to Attract Younger Patrons

Using modern music and visual technology to simulate thunder and rain, the traditional Chinese opera "A Woman under the Feet of Duxiu Mountain" has been making moves to cater to modern audiences in southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

The modernized version of the play has been well-received thus far. One performance during a national opera festival that ended Sunday saw a fully packed theater, with audience members bursting into applause throughout the show and giving the crew a standing ovation when the show ended.

Such a warm embrace of traditional Chinese opera by a largely young audience is somewhat unusual, as the piercing tones and intricate wordplay are not usually seen as appealing by younger viewers.

However, the opera troupes interviewed during the festival had little to complain about, as far as attracting a younger crowd goes. Instead, they mainly worry about a lack of funding and devoted performers.

In recent years, many county-level troupes in Chongqing have had to shut down because of a lack of funds. For those who are still making enough money to operate, survival is a struggle.