Leading lady takes on star role

Wei Chunrong has built a reputation as a leading actress of Kunqu Opera, the oldest traditional Chinese opera with a history of about 600 years, which, performed in the Suzhou dialect, is known for graceful body movements, rhythmic singing and exquisite costumes.

She started to learn the ancient art form at 10 years of age and has been performing with the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre since she was 16. At 32, Wei won the Chinese Theater Plum Blossom Award, the top national performing arts award. Known for her roles in classic Kunqu Opera productions, such as Du Liniang in The Peony Pavilion and Cui Yingying in The Romance of the West Chamber, Wei performed at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2001, when the organization listed it as one of the masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

Now in her 50s, Wei has found a new role, which she calls "challenging yet fulfilling". In the original Kunqu Opera production, titled Guo Feng, which was premiered in September 2021, Wei plays the role of Lady Xu Mu, who was a patriotic heroine and the first female poet recorded in Chinese history. The production has toured nationwide on three occasions. The latest two shows, staged at Tianqiao Theatre in Beijing on June 20 and 21, were part of the ongoing celebration of the 66th birthday of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre.

"I played different roles in Kunqu Opera during the past four decades and most of them are beautiful, soft and sentimental. Many of the roles are portrayed by different Kunqu Opera actresses of different generations. For Lady Xu Mu, I have to put aside all my experiences about performing other female roles and start afresh to comprehend and perform the role," said Wei, sitting in the dressing room of Tianqiao Theatre a day before the show started on June 19.

Lady Xu Mu was born into a royal family of the State of Wei during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). After marrying the ruler of the State of Xu and moving to the remote state, Lady Xu Mu expressed her homesickness by writing poetry. When she heard that the State of Wei had been defeated in war, she decided to go back to help rebuild it.

She also wrote poems to express her love and devotion for her homeland.

Veteran scriptwriter Luo Huaizhen, who has been working with the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre for about 25 years, adapted the story of Lady Xu Mu and interpreted it through Kunqu Opera.

"The role, Lady Xu Mu, was written for Wei Chunrong in particular. Though she has played many classic roles, she needs one which could represent her exclusively and take her career to the next level," says Luo. "The story of Lady Xu Mu is rarely told in theatrical productions. She was a princess and later became a wife and a mother. Besides her responsibility to her own family, she also shouldered some responsibility for her home country.

"The character is more than that of a beautiful woman, commonly presented in Kunqu Opera productions. She is very independent and loyal to her home country, especially when it is attacked by the enemy," Luo adds. "Wei did a great job of interpreting the role."

Luo also elaborates the title of the production, Guo Feng, which is a combination of two Chinese words: guo referring to "country" and feng meaning "demeanor".

"Compared to classic Kunqu Opera productions, which usually portray romance, this production delivers the spirit of a woman, who loves, and is devoted to, her country," says director Cao Qijing, who worked with Wei when the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre staged A Dream of Red Mansions, adapted from the classic novel with the same name by Cao Xueqin in the 18th century, in London in 2012.

Born and raised in Beijing, Wei was introduced to Kunqu Opera by her grandmother, who sent her to a local art school to learn the old art form. Since her parents both worked abroad back then, her grandmother took care of Wei and her younger sister.

"I knew nothing about Kunqu Opera. I was told that I was recruited because of my 'big and expressive' eyes," Wei recalls.

She adds that she lived in that school, which offered her a great environment to learn Kunqu Opera. She received intensive and rigid training, and six years later, she became an actress of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre.

As a teenager, Wei had her debut performance in the 1987 TV drama, A Dream of Red Mansions, by playing a minor role. The TV drama became a phenomenal hit and established itself as a classic of China's TV industry. However, Wei didn't pursue a career in TV.

"After acting in the TV production, I was sure that I would pursue my career as a Kunqu Opera performer for the rest of my life," says Wei.

Like many traditional Chinese operas, Kunqu Opera faced challenges from contemporary entertainment during the 1990s. Fewer people watched Kunqu performances and fewer shows were staged, which forced many Kunqu Opera performers to give up the old art form and work in other fields, such as acting in movies, TV dramas, singing and even running their own businesses.

"Thanks to the recognition of UNESCO and the support of authorities, Kunqu Opera saw a revival. Now, more and more young people love it, which allows us to keep on reviving the ancient art form," Wei says.

In July and August, the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre is staging shows in Beijing's theaters. Wei will give more performances by playing roles in classic Kunqu Opera productions, such as The Peony Pavilion and The Palace of Eternal Life.