Ancient opera finds new voice

Modern lyrics, old melodies

Liu's opera journey began in his hometown of Chizhou, Anhui province, where regional opera traditions run deep. His father and grandmother regularly sang Huangmei Opera folk songs during their leisure time, creating his earliest musical memories.

"I grew up listening to Huangmei Opera, but I specifically chose Peking Opera because it is widely perceived as high art," Liu explains. "Using such an 'elevated' art form with modern elements creates maximum contrast and impact."

Despite having no formal training, he taught himself by listening repeatedly to recordings. He playfully describes his works as "ultra-traditional" Peking Opera, a term inspired by Ultraman's ultra-ancient setting.

"Comments are divided," Liu says with amusement. "Some view ultra-traditional as meaning deeply conservative, while others see it as transcending tradition. I prefer to simply give the audience space to interpret the meaning for themselves."

Creating these crossover works requires Liu to carefully match new lyrics to classical melodies while preserving the intricate tonal patterns, rhythmic structures, and rhyme schemes that define authentic opera performances.

His creative process typically begins with story analysis before selecting appropriate opera segments. For short video platforms, Liu typically chooses xipi liushui (flowing-water rhythm) sections, a rapid-flowing style that matches contemporary attention spans.

Recently, he collaborated with Liu Shuoyu, a dan (female role) performer from the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing, on an adaptation of Titanic, creating a duet version with traditional spoken dialogue. The professional performer, who had previously participated in an innovative anti-fraud-themed Peking Opera campaign, was intrigued by Liu Yuxuan's approach.

"Working with a professional made me realize how much precision goes into every phrase," the university student admits. "I've learned tremendously in terms of professional techniques."