| If you’re a theatre goer, you’d probably want to see some local performances in Shaoxing during your trip. Shaoxing will not let you down! All you need to do is find a theatre, get a ticket, sit down, listen to the melody, watch the performers and picture the story in your mind. |
Yue Opera is the second most popular opera in China, only after Peking Opera. Yue Opera, Shaoju Opera, Xinchang Tiaoqiang and Shaoxing Lianhualao are prevailing local art performances in the city. If you’re planning to visit Shaoxing, watching the famous plays of the Yue Opera is a must-do activity. Here you can find a brief introduction and stage photos to help you better understand Yue Opera.
“A Dream in Red Mansions”, also known as “The Story of the Stones”, is one of the four classical masterpieces in Chinese history. The Yue Opera of “The Story of the Stones” was a revision of the original novel by Cao Xueqin. This Yue Opera play was first performed in the Shanghai Yue Opera Theatre in 1957, and comprised 12 chapters in total. The famous Yue Opera artists Xu Yulan and Wang Wenjuan vividly played Bao Yu (Hero) and Dai Yu (Heroine), thus making ”The Story of the Stones” a classical play of Yue Opera.
In the early 1940s,the famous Yue Opera artists, Yuan Xuefen, Fan Ruijuan, Ma Zhanghua, played “Liang Shanbo and  Zhu Yingtai”, telling the tragic love story between these two people. Zhu was a girl who pretended to be a boy in order to be educated. While studying in Hangzhou, Zhu met Liang and they soon became like brothers. They spent three years studying together until Zhu’s father asked Zhu to come back home to marry Ma. Before leaving, Zhu dropped some hints to Liang expressing her love for him. However, Liang insisted that Zhu was his brother and saw Zhu off. Later on, Liang died in sorrow when he realized Zhu was a girl and they both loved each other. On her wedding day, Zhu rushed to Liang’s grave and cried. A miracle happened when the grave opened up and at the same time Liang and Zhu became two butterflies flying happily towards the sky.
Practical Information
Shaoxing Grand Theater
- Brief Introduction: The shape of Shaoxing Grand Theatre is just like a Wupeng (black awning) boat, which is ready for sailing. With one floor underground and five floors above ground level, the Theater offers 1,347 comfortable seats.
- Area: 26.500 square meters
- Location: No. 375, North Jie Fang Road, Shaoxing
- Tickets Hotline: +86 575-85202255/85202256
- Major shows: “Butterfly Lovers”, “Lu You and Tang Wan”, “A Meet with the Celestial by a Scholar”, “Wang Xifeng” (a famous character in the “Story of the Stones”), “Asoka, the Indian Emperor”, etc
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