Huagu Opera Theater of Hunan Province

Introduction

The Huagu Opera Theater, developed from the Hunan Song and Dance Ensemble's Huagu Opera group, was founded in May 1953. As Huagu Opera's representative performing group, the theater boasts a galaxy of stars that are fervently loved by Huagu Opera fans. It had undergone several reorganizations until 1980 when it was reestablished.

The theater's Story of a Cousin obtained the Wenhua Award at the 7th China Arts Festival in September 2004, making it the first time for a Huagu Opera play to win this highest artwork national award.

The theater mainly performs Changsha Huagu Opera, but also borrows from Huagu Opera in other areas of Hunan province including Shaoyang, Hengyang, Yueyang and Lingling.

The theater's repertoire includes Catching a Bird, Begging Tuition Fees, Seeing My Cousin Off, Picking Vegetables, Spring Outing, Iron Casting, Kite Flying, Catching Butterflies, Crazy Bride and Pan Hua.

The theater's play adaptions from other operas include Xiju Opera's Pushing Grindstone, Huangmei Opera's Watching Lanterns, Baling Opera's Jiuzi Whip, Hanju Opera's Memorial to Kerchief, Qiju Opera's Lady Wang Zhaojun and Kunqu Opera's Shi Wu Guan.

The theater also created a number of modern plays such as Story of a Cousin, Delivering Grain, Sanliwan Bend, Beating Bronze Gong, Repairing the Pot, Bakery Smell, Shajiabang, Islet of Wild Ducks, Two Maps, On the Road of Delivering Goods, Niu Duoxi Sitting in a Sedan, Petty Official, Peach Blossom Flood, Sheep Horn and Paging Machine and Country Police. Among them, Peach Blossom Flood won the 5th Wenhua Award, earning the theater the designation of being one of eight theaters with outstanding achievement in contemporary operas.

The theater also has adapted and created a series of historical, classical and folklore operas including Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Toad, Dongting Lake, The Blue Bird Feather Coat, Xie Yaohuan, Error of Prefect Bao, Fifteen Strings of Coins, Wise Execution of Lu Zhailang, Taking Off the Top Scholar's Robe, Resentment in Han Palace, Yang Sanjie Goes to Court, No.1 Scholar and the Beggar, Case of Pregnancy and Learning Tips. Among them, Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Toad was staged in the US with great success in 1983. In 2001, the play went to Sweden and Denmark as a cultural envoy.

Major artists of the theater include top-notch artists Liu Zhaoqian, Li Xiaojia and Ling Guokang and first grade composers Ouyang Juewen and Pu Zaiting.

Address: No. 626, Ren Min Lu Road, Furong District, Changsha, Hunan Province

Post code: 410011

Tel: (0731) 4113963