Traditional opera takes a tech turn

Attracting a stable audience, especially among the young, is a challenge traditional opera troupes have been facing for a long time.

According to a 2015 survey, there were 348 different types of opera, while 60 forms of opera have died out or become nearly extinct due to lack of performers.

Thanks to video-sharing platforms, some performers, like those of Heshan District's Huaguxi Troupe, have been able to find new fans thanks to their innovative twist on traditional opera.

Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, says that social media platforms, like Kuaishou and Douyin, provide a chance for traditional art forms to be seen and appreciated by many more people.

In collaboration with a number of academies and traditional arts troupes, Douyin has been inviting well-known artists to create short videos on its platform since 2019.

On social media platform Sina Weibo, the hashtag "Traditional Chinese operas" has generated more than 21 million views.

"It has become a trend to promote traditional culture through short video platforms," Zhang says, adding that there is still massive untapped potential in the field.