Peking Opera show puts musical tale center stage

Before the performers started rehearsals at the guild hall, they learned about the historical and cultural significance of guild halls in Beijing. "We spent hours reading the script at the Huguang Huiguan, which allowed us to experience the unique atmosphere of this complex," says actor Li Chenyuan, 23, who plays the lead role of Jin in this musical.

He will graduate from the Beijing Dance Academy with a major in musical performance this summer. He stood out among his peers during auditions and received rigorous training in traditional Chinese opera, from singing and martial arts to reciting lines.

"I've performed in some musical productions, but Peking Opera is new to me. I started by imitating Peking Opera masters' performances by watching videos, and the more I learned, the more I admired those masters," says Li Chenyuan.

A Peking Opera piece that he performs in the musical is Lin Chong Ye Ben or Lin Chong Flees by Night, one of the best-known Peking Opera pieces for wusheng actors.

"It's such a deep art form that takes years to learn," he adds.

For actor Hu You, 36, the challenge is learning the techniques of singing and dancing in musicals. He graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts in 2012 and joined the Beijing Quju Opera Troupe that year. Hu plays the role of Yu Tao, an ambitious young man from a noble family who returns to his hometown of Beijing after studying abroad. Yu is also a fan of Peking Opera and becomes a friend of Jin.

"I performed at the Huguang Huiguan when the Beijing Quju Opera Troupe staged Lao She's Teahouse last year and this year. It's quite a different experience when I performed in this musical, which is a new art form for me," Hu says.

Quju, a traditional opera, is believed to be the only local opera in Beijing that combines singing in the local Beijing dialect, also with dancing and martial arts.

Unlike Li Chenyuan, who was challenged by performing traditional Chinese opera, Hu faced difficulty with singing and dancing when he received training for musical performance.

"I've worked with the director, and I was intrigued by the idea of performing in a musical," Hu says. "Tradition does not need to be static. It can evolve and breathe new life when given the space to do so."