Peking opera is one of the quintessential forms of traditional Chinese culture. It's become the most representative and influential genre on the Chinese opera stage today. Born with a deep-sounding voice, young actress Tan Xiaoyu has taken on the role of "laosheng," a senior male character, gaining a reputation for her portrayal of a role traditionally played by males.

“Today we are performing a traditional and classic Peking opera called ‘Pearl Veiled’ at the Jixiang Grand Theater in Beijing. It is set in the late Tang Dynasty, when the Huang Chao Rebellion occurred,” Tan Xiaoyu explains. 

“Cheng Jingsi went to Shatuo to call in reinforcements and seek help from Li Keyong. The first half of the show focuses on singing and acting, and the second half on martial arts. It is quite comprehensive, integrating singing, spoken dialogue, acting, and fighting. It is a feast for the eyes and the ears.”

Peking opera has been performed for more than two centuries. Over the years, many famous artists have emerged and several families have earned keen admiration from the industry - the Tan clan is one of them. Tan Xiaoyu is the seventh generation of that family. Her great-great-great-grandfather, Mr Tan Xinpei, was a well-known Peking opera master.

“He was a milestone figure for generations. He was the protagonist of the first silent Chinese film, ‘The Battle of Dingjunshan.’ He was known as a great master,” said Tan. 

“My great-grandfather, grandfather, and my grandfather's brothers are all percussionists. Among them, my grandfather Tan Shixiu is the most famous. He is known as the King of Drums in the industry. The drummer is called Sigu, equivalent to the chief conductor of an orchestra. He is responsible for navigating the rhythm of the play,” added Tan. 

The voice of laosheng needs to be vigorous and full of charm. Tan said her first teacher demanded high standards from her. Her teacher asked her to deliberately lower her voice, in order to mask her femininity. She is not supposed to use a female voice to represent laosheng. 

Tan Xiaoyu shaves the sides of her head before every performance to maintain her stage image. While this may not be noticed by the audience, success often depends on such attention to detail. And even though it means sacrificing some of her beauty in real life, she thinks the compromise is worth it as she brings an artistic beauty to the stage.

“Look at my temples. You are not allowed to have sideburns, so it needs to be completely shaved. Everything we do is to serve our role on stage,” said Tan. “As a woman, I don't want to shave my hair like this. It affects my daily life. But it has to be done.”

Tan Xiaoyu, who is in her 40s, has enriched the repertoire of female actresses who portray "laosheng." During her life, she has been dedicated to the theatre. She hopes to continue creating awe on the stage, and to explore and pass on the art form for generations to come.

“I'll continue to learn and pass on the art of Peking opera, and try to preserve more classical and meaningful plays. I think our generation of Peking opera artists know too little compared to previous masters. So while those old masters are still alive, I need to learn more from them, and pass on the truly valuable traditional plays,” said Tan.