Celebrated Yuju Opera artists Li Shujian and Hu Meiling, as well as talented young performers, are staging classic plays at the small theater of Yuyuan Garden Malls.
Till May 26, artists are newly interpreting the stories of ancient Chinese heroines such as Mu Guiying and Hua Mulan on the stage.
To cater for audiences in Shanghai, traditional plays have been adapted into small-theater versions to offer a more immersive experience.
With a history of more than 300 years, Yuju Opera is a popular art form of China’s Henan Province. Around 200,000 Yuju Opera performances are staged in China every year.
The art form has also been introduced to audiences worldwide.
Li, an inheritor of Yuju Opera, a national intangible cultural heritage, has staged Yuju Opera shows in some 30 countries and regions around the world, including the United States, Egypt and Russia.
Some of his 200 students are foreigners who are fascinated with the distinctive charm of Chinese traditional theater.