Xiamen Municipal Gezai Opera Troupe

Gezai opera, also named as Xiangju Opera, is a local Taiwan folk opera. It is characterized by more singing than speaking, with oral language features. It has absorbed much folk song characteristic to enrich its art form. Its major melody forms include Seven Character Tune and Crying Tune which are of rich native flavor. Mixed Tune is a distinctive melody form closer to recitation. With its fine music accompaniment, the Gezai opera has won great popularity in Southern Fujian and Taiwan region.

In 1945, Xiamen and Longxi jointly organized the Xiangju Opera Representative Troupe to represent Southern Fujian to attend the East China Opera Gathering. Its performance Three Families; Fortune won the second prize for script and awards for director and performing. Since then, all Gezai operas from Southern Fujian have been called Xiangju Opera. In 1959, two well-known Troupe: the Fu-jin-chun and the Qunsheng from Xianmen region, merged as the Xiamen Xiangju Opera Troupe. It was the renamed as the Xiamen Gezai Opera Troupe.

Since 1962, the Troupe has put on stage a large number of traditional costume plays and modern operas which won high praise from the audience. These include Tale of the White Snake, Mansion on Fire, Story of Groceries, Qin Xianglian, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, Butcher Master', Dumb Girl Goes to Court, August 1stRevolution, Jail Break, Letter from the South and etc. The Troupe has won two gold medals, two silver medals and many other awards. In 1997, the historical play Jie's Drum and Han's Flute produced by the Troupe won the Script Award, Director Award, Music Award, Setting Design Award and Actor's Award of the Fujian Government. Myth play White Egret Goddess is also a winner of the Script Award.

Since 1985, the Troupe has been invited to Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries as well as Hong Kong region for performance, and has won high praise from local audience.

The Troupe has a group of directors, scenarists, actors and actresses including Ye Guilian, Chen Jinmu, Lin Longgen, Chen Wndqing, Huang Tianfu and etc.

Address: No.1, Xianfengying, Xiamen, Fujian Province

Post code: 361003

Tel: (0592) 2022073

Fax: (0592) 2022073