Festive curtain poised to rise on shows with a difference

He added that the upcoming Spring Festival will be different from those in recent years, as people's lives have returned to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We expect to see more people coming to our shows," Qu said, adding that classic and contemporary Qinqiang Opera performances will be staged.

In 1912, Yisushe Theater was founded by two scriptwriters from Shaanxi — Li Tongxuan (1860-1932) and Sun Renyu (1872-1934) — who were inspired by the 1911 Xinhai Revolution led by Sun Yatsen, which ended the rule of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Unlike other troupes, most of which were founded by folk artists to make a living and entertain the public, Yisushe was established in the hope of making a difference during the war by educating those who were too poor to go to school. The troupe also ran a school to train young performers in Qinqiang Opera.

Yisushe, one of the oldest art troupes in China, has preserved some 880 original scripts in 1,000 volumes that address social issues and embody values such as honesty, bravery, loyalty and justice.

"The theater is old, but our actors and actresses are very young," Qu said, adding that the theater has some 60 performers with an average age of 35. "More important, more and more young people are coming to our shows, thanks to the tourism boom in Xi'an," he said.