The show must go on

An amateur troupe of Peking Opera performers has gone through ups and downs in the past five decades in Changchun, capital of Jilin province in Northeast China. But it has survived and grown into one of the area's largest amateur troupes.

Peking Opera is China's national form of theater, combining storytelling, acrobatics, acting and martial arts with Chinese singing and dancing.

Every week, residents can see a group of singers and actors as well as costumers, dressers and makeup artists working with lavishly embroidered costumes and elaborate makeup, and practicing acrobatics and performing at a small theater in Pingyang community. Most of the members are retirees, and most have multiple roles in the productions.

This troupe has about 50 members, who also financially support their art. Whereas there used to be more than 20 troupes and more than 1,000 amateur performers in Changchun in the 1950s, there are only a handful now.

It's not easy to keep a group together in today's changed world. The troupe was temporarily disbanded in 2011 when its co-founder, Gao Xianzun, passed away at 81. They had to find a new place to perform, but after a few months they were able to get the group together again.

One of the reasons it has continued is the dedication of Yu Xingting, 75, one of the most renowned amateur performers in the city and a co-founder of the troupe.

Starting when he was 8, Yu learned Peking Opera for eight years at the feet of a master, and his heart has always been in the traditional art, even though he never had a chance to make it a career.

A peking opera performance by an amateur troupe in Changchun, capital of Jilin province. Photos by Bai Shi / For China Daily

Performers rehearse at a small theater in Pingyang community.

Yu Xingting and fellow troupe members exercise with a prop spear in a city park.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/09/2016 page4)