Established in 1956, the Opera Troupe of the General Political Department is the only professional opera-performing group of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The troupe has created and performed many works mainly with military themes characterized by their strong ethnic flavor and the spirits reflective of their respective times. A unique artistic style has been formed, winning high acclaim both from home and abroad. The new Flying My Heart by the troupe won the Wenhua Award at the Seventh China Arts Festival in September 2004.
The troupe has created and performed more than 100 works including The White Hair Girl, The Fiancée of a Voluntary Soldier, Red Sun of the Ke Mountain, Liu Hulan, Aolei and Yilan, Truelove Knot, Fragrance of the Wild, Daughter of the Party, Kelimu Joining the Army, Mid-Autumn of the Sand Sea, White Reed Catkin and Red Bombax, The Selected Parts of Chinese Operas andQu Yuan.
Among those works, Daughter of the Party won the second Wenhua Award issued by theMinistry of Cultureand the National Repertoire Award. Kelimu Joining the Army obtained the fifth Wenhua Award for New Plays and the fourth PLA Art Award. The large-scale musical White Reed Catkin and Red Bombax won the Excellent Playwright Award and the seventh Wenhua Award for New Plays.
The troupe has also rehearsed and performed some international repertoires like Dawn Here is Silent from the former USSR, and Tosca from Italy as well as selected parts of many famous foreign operas, contributing greatly to the development of Chinese opera.
The troupe contains a galaxy of opera talents such as Ding Yi, Tian Chuan, Zhang Qishun, Wang Yunzhi, Chen Kuiji, Wang Zujie, Zhang Yuenan, Zhang Hailun, Yang Hongji, Zhang Jimin, Wang Jing, Qin Lufeng, Sun Liying, Cheng Guilan and Pan Shuzhen. Famous tenors and sopranos include Dai Yuqiang, Huang Lihua and Chen Shumin.
The troupe has performed in Russia,Hong KongandMacao, winning honors for the troupe and the PLA.
Address: No. 68, West Street, Deshengmen, Xicheng District, Beijing
Postal Code: 100035
Tel: (010) 66736607
Fax: 010-62214339
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