The Zhejiang Shaoju Opera Troupe was founded in 1959, as a successor to the former Tongchun Stage, which had been founded in 1929.

Shaoju Opera has formed its unique characteristics with sonorous tunes, unadorned music and a free and easy performing style throughout its 300 years of history. Its repertoire consists of both civil and military plays, and in particular the monkey-king plays.

Its representative plays include Three Attacks on the White-Bone Devil, Yu Qian, Story of the Prime Minister, A Cinnabar Ball, A Fight Between Dragon and Tiger, Emperor Da Yu Harnessed the River and Case of the Gourd.

In 1995, the troupe staged Emperor Da Yu Harnessed the River, which won the grand prize at the 6th Zhejiang Provincial Opera Festival and the Wenhua Award for best new play in 1996.

In 1997, the troupe presented Case of the Gourd, which won the prize for best new play at the 7th Zhejiang Provincial Opera Festival and the prize for best performance at the 9th Shanghai White Magnolia Award; also its principal performer Zhao Xiuzhi won the National Plum Blossom Award.

In 1958, the troupe staged A Fight between Dragon and Tiger, A Story of Reed Catkins, Scented Belt and Three Battles with the White Bone Demon in Beijing. Premier Zhou Enlai watched their performances and met the performers.

In the 1960s, its Three Battles with the White Bone Demon was made into a film and shown in 70 countries and regions all over the world.

In l979, the troupe staged Yu Qian, a newly created historical play celebrating the30th anniversary of the founding of New China in Beijing and won the first prize issued by the Ministry of Culture.

In September 1991, the troupe participated in the Hong Kong Chinese Opera Festival and performed Three Battles with the White Bone Demon, Story of the Rime Minister and Fighting the Red Child was warmly received. In September of the same year, the troupe toured Japan and staged Three Battles with the White Bone Demon.

In September 1994, the troupe toured Denmark and performed some highlights of various plays for the first time in front of a European audience.

The troupe has a group of famous performers such as Zhang Zongyi, Wang Zhenfang, Zhao Xiuzhi, Liu Jianyang, Shen Xiaomei and Zhang Jinyun.

Address: No.23, Ba Zi Qiao Yi Jie Street, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province
Post code: 312000.
Tel: (0575) 8656462

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