Yueju Opera maestro celebrated in Shaoxing

An event celebrating the 80th anniversary of Yueju Opera's reform and the 100th birthday of Yueju maestro Yuan Xuefen (1922-2011) was held in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, on Monday.

Yueju Opera, a national intangible cultural heritage, originated in Shaoxing before it became popular in Shanghai. It is a respected and widely acclaimed art form that blends Chinese folk stories, music and drama.

Yuan is credited with leading the reform of Yueju, including the extensive use of lighting and scenery. She is best known for playing the title role in Sister Xianglin by Lu Xun, one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century.

The event was part of the Fifth Chinese Yueju Opera Festival, which opened in Shaoxing on Sunday. At the festival's opening ceremony, many Yueju maestros signed an agreement to inherit and further develop the art.