On the afternoon of October 25, the first college-special performance of "Operas Gathering in Anhui · Stars Shining in Hefei" opened at Anhui Baixicheng. The classic Huangmei opera The Dream of the Red Chamber took the stage; 900 students from Hefei University of Technology gathered in the theater to experience, amid lyrical singing and elegant stagecraft, the living warmth of this national-level intangible cultural heritage.

At 2:30 p.m. the curtain slowly rose. A background of ink-wash scenery intertwined with antique props, instantly transporting the audience into the world of the Grand View Garden.

"This was my first time ever seeing traditional opera in a theater — it was stunning! One minute on stage takes ten years of practice offstage. You can feel the effort behind it," said Gao Zhenkai, a sophomore at Hefei University of Technology. He said the event brought him up close to opera culture and enriched campus life; in the future he plans to visit the theater to see more plays he likes and make cultural experiences a new holiday habit. Also moved by this "meeting of traditions" was Zhao Jieyi, a junior at the university. After the performance, her love for Huangmei opera grew stronger: "I will actively learn more about it and take action to pass on Huangmei opera culture."

The performance aimed to encourage college students to enter theaters and feel the charm of traditional opera, allowing students in Hefei to connect with the city’s cultural pulse, and to better understand and love the city beyond their studies so they can more fully participate in its future development.

Reportedly, the Huangmei opera The Dream of the Red Chamber was created and performed by the Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre, starring He Yun, a recipient of China’s prestigious "Plum Blossom Award". The Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre first staged the piece in 1991 and revived a "youth" version in 2004; after two generations of artists’ brilliant performances and decades of refinement, it has become a widely influential, long-running masterpiece.

Source: Hefei Daily