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Famous Yue Opera Artists

If you like watching Yue Opera, I’d like to introduce some famous artists of Yue Opera, who all made numerous efforts for the innovation and transformation of Yue Opera.

Famous Yue Opera Artists

Yuan Xuefen | 袁雪芬 yuán xuě fēn | 袁雪芬 Yuen Suet Fan(1922 - 2011)

Yuan Xuefen was a renowned performing artist of Yue Opera in China, the founder of the "Yuan School" of Yue Opera. In 1940, she initiated the Yue Opera reform in Shanghai and advocated the concept of "New Yue Opera". She held that Yue Opera should pay more attention to the literariness of the scripts and the artistry of the performances, introduced elements of modern drama, and thus enhanced the artistic level of Yue Opera. Yuan Xuefen's representative works include "Butterfly Lovers", "The Romance of the Western Chamber", "A Dream of Red Mansions", etc.

She was an important representative figure in the development of the singing art of Yue Opera. The "Yuan School" she founded a profound impact on the development, improvement of the singing of female roles in Yue Opera. Yuan Xuefen not only achieved brilliant accomplishments on the stage but also dedicated herself to the education and inheritance of Yue Opera. She founded a Yue Opera school and cultivated a large number of talents for Yue Opera.

Zhu Shuizhao | 竺水招 zhú shuǐ zhāo | 竺水招 Chuk Shui Chiu (1921 - 1968)

Zhu Shuizhao founded the "Zhu School". Her performances are refined and graceful. She's got a strong base and a wide range of acting styles, and she could play both male and female roles, which is pretty rare for a woman in Yue Opera who was good at martial arts. Her singing combined gentle and powerful, making her unique in Yue Opera. With her beautiful appearance, everyone says she's as beautiful as Xi Shi, even in Yue Opera.

Yin Guifang | 尹桂芳 yǐn guì fāng | 尹桂芳 Wan Kwai Fong (1919 - 2000)

Yin Guifang performed in hundreds of plays throughout her life. Her representative works include "Qu Yuan" and "Sister Jiang". She created a series of classic artistic images and was called the "Emperor of Yue Opera". On the basis of inheriting the traditions, she founded a unique school of art-the "Yin School". The singing of the "Yin School" is gentle, profound, and fresh, deeply loved by the vast audience. Yin Guifang was full of an innovative spirit. She was one of the earliest artists to join the ranks of "New Yue Opera" after Yuan Xuefen in the 1940s and poured her heart and soul into the reform of Yue Opera.

Fan Ruijuan | 范瑞娟 fàn ruì juān | 范瑞娟 Fan Shui Kuen (1924 - 2017)

Fan Ruijuan's singing was full of passion. When singing, she went for a strong and manly vibe, rather than just flashy stage tricks. Instead, she really drove into the emotions of the characters. Fan Ruijuan founded the "Fan School" art in the schools of Yue Opera. Her singing, on the basis of inheriting the tunes of male troupes, absorbed the advantages of the singing tones of famous Peking Opera artists and thus formed the "Fan School".

Fu Quanxiang | 傅全香 fù quán xiāng | 傅全香 Fu Chuen Heung (1923 - 2017)

Fu Quanxiang founded the "Fu School". Her voice is firm, and her performances are full of passion. She was good at using gestures to express the feelings of the characters and was good at showing tragic female images. In 1989, she won the "Gold Record Award" issued by China Record Corporation. In 1995, she won the "Most Outstanding Asian Artist Award" issued by the Chinese for the Arts Association in New York, USA.

Xu Yulan | 徐玉兰 xú yù lán | 徐玉兰 Tsui Yuk Lan (1921 - 2017)

Xu Yulan founded the "Xu School". Her performances were full of passion, and she was good at creating character images which possessed the artistic charm of being handsome and captivating. On the stage, Xu Yulan was a bold explorer. From the aspects of roles, performances to singing, she was constantly exceeding herself, innovating and developing the Yue Opera all the time.

By Mia Li
Web Editor

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