Pingtan legend sings praises of traditional opera

In 1998, when Sheng Xiaoyun debuted the first Suzhou Pingtan performance in Taiwan from a Chinese mainland troupe since 1949, she was dubbed by some local media as "the most beautiful voice in the country".

To date, that is the most frequent commendation not only for her, but also for her beloved art form.

Born in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, both of Sheng's parents were performers of Pingtan, a musical genre popular in southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang provinces, and Shanghai. Xiaoyun, a name she chose after first stepping onstage, has the aesthetic meaning "Little cloud" - small in size, but often extending across the horizon.