When talking about the troupe's future, Du voiced his worries.

"Most of us are middle-aged, so it is not proper to call us a Youth Troupe," he said.

Not only the troupe, but the audience is also ageing. "Most of our fans are middle-aged and old people," he said, adding that nowadays very few youngsters are interested in Chuju Opera.

"Since we lack the funds, we have not been able to upgrade our facilities for many years," he said.

However, there is a small glimmer of hope in the form of Du's own children who are studying this opera at a local art school.

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