Tales of environment protection revealed in Yueju Opera work

Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains, a contemporary Yue Opera production, by Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, was staged at the National Theater of China in Beijing on April 8.

The production premiered in Lishui, Zhejiang province, on Oct 30 and then traveled to in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Nov 20. It was the debut performance of the production in Beijing on April 8.

Directed by Yang Xiaoqing and composed by Liu Jiankuan and Yang Haoping, Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains, with leading performers including the award-winning actress Wang Binmei and actor Hua Weiqiang, tells the story of people living in Lishui working hard to protect and improve the ecological environment, as well as realizing harmonious coexistence between people and nature.

Yue Opera is the second-largest opera in China. Originated in Shengzhou, Zhejiang province, during the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Yue Opera is popular in Zhejiang, Jiangsu provinces, and Shanghai. The name, Yue Opera, was first used in 1925 on a Shanghai newspaper and during the 1920s. With the emergence of a large number of female performers, Yue Opera troupes became very popular. The ancient art form is characterized by its lyrical singing and the subtlety and tenderness of the melodies.