Spotlight on Shaoxing Opera Club: setting the trend with classics

Speaking of love story, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a household word. To a Chinses ear, the mention of love tragedy often calls to mind Butterfly Lovers, one of the classics registering the distinctive oriental beauty. Having been circulating for ages in vernacular narratives and operas, in 2018, the story was performed by the student Club of Shaoxing Opera in Zhejiang University, which arose a fashion of traditional arts at that time.

Shaoxing Opera Club members’ performance

A story began with Butterfly Lovers

Shaoxing opera, ranked as the second national opera after Beijing Opera, has been enlisted into the national intangible cultural heritage since 2006. Its history can be traced from the 1900s, when it first gained popularity as a folk music in Zhejiang Province. Of the most representatives of this artistic form is the story of Butterfly Lovers, a bitter romance telling of two lovers who, failed to stay together due to the obstacles from families, died for love and then transformed into butterflies for eternal companionship. 

As the crown of Shaoxing opera, Butterfly Lovers is a carrier of traditional vernacular culture, which gives rise to various performances, ranging from opera, film, TV work, even to a violin composition, which as a whole leave an indelible imprint in every Chinese’s memory. Beyond that, this romantic story is also part and parcel of the precious memory of ZJU’s cohort of Shaoxing opera, for its successful debut in 2018 was so impressive.

“Before the performance of Butterfly Lovers, there’s a concern lingering: whether this traditional art can hold the audience,” told CHE Yuchao, who was then still a freshman. “What if only few students come to see our opera? What if they leave halfway?” Such questions haunted him until the opera kicked off.

To his surprise, the performance hit big in the university. No one at that time would have thought that students would stand early in a long queue which extended from the theatre even to the library. That night the theatre was sparkled with moving melodies and the fabulous actions. “When I noticed there were several foreign students in the audience, I thought our efforts were worthwhile,” said CHE with satisfaction. 

The theatre before the debut of Butterfly Lovers

Interests and arduous efforts count

Every member knew that it was hard-earned, and the love for Shaoxing opera is their backbone. When there was a lack of cast and crew, they invited students from the other clubs, eventually building a team of sixty students; when the rehearsal room was in shortage, they wound the way in the campus to look for a suitable space; when there was insufficient instruction, they followed the teaching video again and again. All these arduous efforts eventually made possible the marvelous debut.

Members rehearsing for Butterfly Lovers

“There is one section which took us almost a semester to practice,” HONG Wenxiang recalled, who was still a sophomore then. “That seven-minute clip is nearing the climax, so it entails eight actors to act in high unity.” In that semester, they often rehearsed for hours at every weekend, polishing the performance for its best display. It is just the love for opera and the arduous efforts that ensure the vivid revival of the Butterfly Lovers on stage.

Inheriting classics with innovation

“Leading the trend with the classics,” that’s the commitment of the Shaoxing Opera Club. However, reviving the classics is by no means an easy task. Under the waves of popular culture, challenge confronted by the club members was no less than walking the tightrope between the fashion and the classic: how to keep the public attention without sacrificing the precious traditions?

Promotional video of the Shaoxing Opera Club

Reverberating ZJU’s history via Shaoxing opera proves to be an inspiring start. “Our past president CHU Kochen, who led the ZJUers to move over 1,000 miles inland to continue its educational mission during the Second World War, also came from Shaoxing. Then why not tell this story with Shaoxing opera?” The beautiful coincidence brings a new inspiration to the club. Inheritance plus innovation, they composed an original opera telling this history and discovered the key to revitalization of the classics. 

The story of Shaoxing opera club is still going on. This year marks ZJU’s 125th anniversary, for their celebration, the club launches a Shaoxing opera series by re-staging these classics in many sites of the city, in this way they pay a tribute to the traditional arts.

Writers: OUYANG Yuxuan; HUANG Ziye

Translator: ZHANG Jinmei

Editor: TIAN Minjie

Photo and video credit: Shaoxing Opera Club