Xinhua Silk Road: E. China's Kunshan City hosts opera gala to showcase charm of Chinese opera

The Chinese Opera Gala (Kunshan) 2023 kicked off recently in Kunshan City, east China's Jiangsu Province to showcase the enduring cultural charm of classic Chinese opera.

Famous troupes, masters and Chinese opera performers from all over the country presented performances of 6 grand dramas and 20 renowned excerpts during the event which will last until Oct. 31.

The opening ceremony was graced by eight artists from the opera industry including Cui Guangli, Xi Zhonglu, Peng Qinglian, etc., who brought classic performances of Peking Opera, Sichuan Opera, Chu Opera and others.

The Kunshan Chinese Opera Museum was unveiled at the opening ceremony of the opera gala. The museum has an extensive collection of items related to the 348 Chinese operas, which are to be exhibited to showcase the history and characteristics of Chinese operas.

This year, the event built a platform for young opera talents to host training classes for 121 opera troupes nationwide, and organized nationwide opera performance to nominate leading talents of Chinese Opera.

This year's opera gala is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, and undertaken by the Art Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Suzhou Municipal People's Government.