Shenzhen Fanghua Beijing Opera Theater Co., the city’s only theater company, was established yesterday at the Civic Center as Shenzhen marked the 10th anniversary of its landmark cultural program, “Operas on Saturday.”
The program was designed to allow residents to listen to, learn about and appreciate different genres of Chinese opera.
Xia Yunhua, director and producer of Fanghua Beijing Opera Theater Co., said that her theater company will join hands with the nation’s key theater companies and academies, including Jingju Theater Co. of Beijing and Shanghai Jingju Theater Co., to make the best use of the existing resources to present high-quality works for audiences in Shenzhen, in order to do its part in the development and inheritance of China’s intangible cultural heritage.
Xia also mentioned that Fanghua Beijing Opera Theater Co. will continue innovating in order to advance with the times. She said the Fanghua company will organize guided tours so audiences can learn more about the history of Beijing Opera before they sit down for the performances, which will also be live-streamed online. The company has created new works, such as “Three Monks” and “Chameleon,” to cater to the tastes of the younger generations.
Over the past 10 years, “Operas on Saturday” has staged 364 performances covering over 60 types of opera, including Beijing Opera, Cantonese Opera, Pingju Opera, Kunqu Opera and Yuju Opera. It has evolved into a star program of the city’s cultural development.