In a celebration of the rich cultural heritage along the Yangtze River, Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in Suzhou, Jiangsu province played host to a myriad of performances from October to November as part of the 2023 Yangtze River Culture Festival.
Forty-six performance groups, hailing from regions such as Sichuan, Hubei, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, presented nearly 100 high-quality productions at various theaters in Suzhou, showcasing a diverse array of traditional art forms, including cross talk, Wuxi Opera, Yueju opera, Kunqu opera, and Pingtan storytelling.
A poster for the Wuxi Opera Qu Duyi. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]
A notable highlight was the Wuxi Opera titled "Qu Duyi", which portrayed the life and experiences of Qu Duyi, a former international news editor at Xinhua News Agency. The play delves into the ups and downs of Qu's life, depicting her relationships with her father Qu Qiubai, who was a Chinese revolutionary and Communist leader, and other family members. Crafted by the Zhangjiagang Wuxi Opera Art Center, this marked the play's debut.
A Wuhan Opera about Su Shi, a Chinese poet and politician in the Song Dynasty, is staged during the Yangtze River Culture Festival. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]
The festival also featured a Wuhan Opera that depicted a crucial period in the life of Su Shi, a renowned poet and politician during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Wuhan Opera is one of China's oldest theatrical forms and boasts a history spanning nearly four centuries. It was designated as a national intangible cultural heritage item in May 2006.