Strength and grace: Behind the art of portraying male characters in Yue Opera

On stage, Wu Fenghua transcends her own identity. Whether she embodies a handsome scholar or a valiant general in Yue Opera, she consistently captivates the hearts of her audience.

In Yue Opera performances, it is no easy task for women to portray male characters. They need to not only give their singing voices the depth and strength of men but also master masculine gaits, gestures and movements.

Away from the theater, Wu sports a cool hairstyle with her temples shaved, a practical choice that simplifies the application of makeup for male roles. When performing as a "xiaosheng," or a young male character, she dons boots with platforms nearly 10 centimeters thick.

"Once I step onto the stage, I feel an incredible surge of excitement," Wu said. "If the performance is going well, I truly relish every moment of those two and a half hours in the spotlight."

'You have to be passionate about it'

Born in 1970, Wu has dedicated over 40 years to the world of Yue Opera. For Wu, a two-time recipient of the Plum Performance Award, China's top award for theater and opera performances, an actor's growth is inextricably linked to the stage.

"You have to be passionate about it. Only then can you fall in love with and fully commit to your role. And only with that commitment can you truly deliver a great performance," she said.

Wu is the artistic director of the Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe of Shaoxing, based in the Keqiao District of Shaoxing City in east China's Zhejiang Province. Founded in 1986, the troupe is renowned as one of the finest in the country. Over the past 39 years, it has developed a distinctive performance style that seamlessly blends the graceful elegance of civil plays with the dynamic energy of martial plays.

Undeterred by weather, the troupe travels to Zhejiang's rural areas annually to perform for local audiences. By the end of 2024, they had staged a total of 3,000 shows in the countryside, bringing the beauty of Yue Opera to millions of villagers across the region.

The name "Yue Opera" first appeared in 1925, and the genre has a rich history spanning nearly 120 years. Like many regional Chinese operas, Yue Opera takes its name from its place of origin – Shaoxing City, historically known as "Yue." A unique hallmark of Yue Opera is the tradition of female performers playing male roles. According to Wu, embodying a young male character in Yue Opera requires a delicate balance of masculine strength and feminine grace.

Reflecting on the genre's strong fanbase in the eastern provinces, Wu considers herself part of Yue Opera's golden generation. She acknowledges the contributions of her predecessors, who laid the foundation for Yue Opera's success, and expresses gratitude for the young students eager to learn in an environment that encourages innovation.

"Overall, the situation is quite encouraging," Wu said. "Troupes and renowned artists are making meaningful attempts to expand the horizons of Yue Opera for the next 50 years."

In an effort to attract younger audiences, Wu's team adapted Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and first staged it as "General Ma Long" in 2001. Last year, they revised the production, aiming to captivate new viewers by infusing world classics with the unique charm of Yue Opera.

From learner to mentor

In 1987, Wu met her mentor Fan Ruijuan, who played the iconic role of Liang Shanbo in China's first color Yue Opera film, "Butterfly Lovers," in 1953. Often referred to as the Chinese "Romeo and Juliet," the story has become a timeless classic.

Despite a significant age gap, Wu and Fan established a strong bond. Fan was quite strict during lessons, and she provided immense support for Wu's career. Playing Liang Shanbo also became Wu's signature role.

Now, Wu is passing on that same support to the younger generation of Yue Opera performers.

(All photos above courtesy of Wu Fenghua: Wu Fenghua plays the male lead role of Lu Wenlong, a young general in the drama "Lu Wenlong.")

Zhou Yi, a student in Wu's troupe, began learning Yue Opera at the age of 13. She noted that many of her classmates were drawn to performing "xiaosheng" roles because "they are just so handsome." However, due to her round face, Zhou was chosen to learn the "huadan" role, which portrays young and lively female characters.

To Zhou, Wu is both kind-hearted and demanding. Zhou aspires to one day perform alongside Wu, jointly presenting a love story.

"In this way, I will see her loving and deep gaze in the performance," the twenty-something girl joked.

Innovation presents both challenges and opportunities for all traditional operas. Zhou said that the difficulty in innovating traditional opera lies in catering to the demands of two different age groups. Traditional opera enthusiasts, mainly the elderly, prefer classic plays, while younger audiences are eager for original and innovative productions.

"So we have to take it step by step. If we were to cater entirely to the younger audience, that might actually backfire," Zhou said.

Nowadays, traditional Chinese opera has carved out its own niche on short-video platforms, with original works gaining recognition from young people. Wu's troupe also performs live online. However, Wu hopes that more people will visit theaters to experience the performances.

"Watching a play in the theater and watching it on the screen are two completely different experiences," Wu said.

Next year, Wu's team is set to perform in Europe, with the classic piece "Butterfly Lovers" on their show list.

"We will prepare bilingual subtitles," said Wu.

(Cover: Yue Opera actress Wu Fenghua. /Courtesy of Wu Fenghua)

Reporters: Li Yue, Chen Hongyu

Text by Du Junzhi

Videographers: Ban Jinting, Chen Hongyu

Video editor: Li Yue

Cover image designed by Yin Yating

Wang Qianhui contributed to video post-production.