Peking Opera heads to the movies

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Scenes from Sacrifice (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Wang Peiyu, a 43-year-old Peking Opera actress, spends most of her working life immersed in the past, depicting characters from time-honoured stories of the art form.

She wears heavy make-up and takes on male roles while performing, and she also appears on television shows and video-sharing websites to promote this form of opera and to share knowledge about it.

A combination of singing, dancing, acrobatics and martial arts, Peking Opera, or jingju, is more than 200 years old and was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. Like many traditional art forms, it has been challenged by contemporary entertainment and is losing followers, especially among the younger generation.

Wang, one of the most popular Peking Opera artists in China, whose shows sell out fast and who has millions of followers on social media, has been trying to revive and keep the genre alive, especially among young audiences. The traditional work Sacrifice, featuring Wang in the lead role, has recently been adapted into a movie of the same title, which premiered in Shanghai on 28 October and is being screened at more than 400 cinemas nationwide.

Speaking before the premiere, Wang said, “It’s a good time to be a Peking Opera actress, because there are a number of ways to perform for audiences –in theatres, on TV and now in cinemas.”

On 12 December, the movie will be brought to audiences in the United Kingdom and the United States by Virtual Circle, a newly established online concert and event livestreaming platform. For audiences new to Peking Opera, the movie offers an insight into the art form.

Set in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Sacrifice is based on the classic Chinese tragedy The Orphan of Zhao. It tells the story of Cheng Ying, who sacrifices his baby son to replace the only survivor and heir of a persecuted family. Cheng then raises the heir as his own son, only to reveal the truth when the young man grows up and seeks revenge.

In 1933, Gao Qingkui (1890-1942), a master of the art form, turned the story into a Peking Opera, titling it Sacrifice. In 1947, Meng Xiaodong (1908-77), a celebrated actress renowned for her clear voice and command of male roles, adapted the work, playing the part of Cheng Ying.

Peking Opera actress Wang Peiyu puts on make-up before playing the lead role in the production (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Wang is aiming to follow in the footsteps of these masters. On 8 September 2018, filming of Sacrifice was completed at the Grand Theatre of China in Shanghai. On that date in 1947, Ms Xiaodong performed the role of Cheng Ying at this venue. After the performance, she announced her retirement from the stage.

Wang chose the date to complete the shooting of Sacrifice as a tribute to Ms Xiaodong. She said the late actress’s portrayals of Cheng Ying were inspiring and important to her when was training to become a Peking Opera performer.

Italian filmmaker Marco Muller, who attended the premiere of Sacrifice in Shanghai, said: “The movie version is full of new ideas and is very creative. I’m highly impressed.”

Wang added that the film is true to the traditional work, adding that it complements the art form well and that audiences should head to theatres to enjoy the production.

Now a leading performer with the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, Wang has launched the Yuyin Society, a club for children and adults interested in Peking Opera. “There are two kinds of people in the world –those who love Peking Opera and those who don’t know they love it yet,” she said. “My job is to let the latter know about the genre and for them to fall in love with it.”

Previously published on Chinadaily.com.cn