A brief documentary for the advanced unit of Guiyang Xiangju Troupe

Young actors were acting selected scene of “stolen grass”

It was reported that Guiyang county’s Xiangju troupe won the title of fifth“national advanced unit of serving for peasants and serving for construction of grassroots culture”. Guiyang county is one of the birthplaces of Xiangju opera with over 600 years history. Xiangju opera was enrolled in national intangible cultural heritage protection list in 2008. Xiangju troupe which was founded 62 years ago kept its good tradition to serve for peasants and grassroots in recent years.

More than 70 traditional theatrical pieces were performed again by the troupe

It is hard for the training of performance. All actors no matter young or old should spend hours in daily training to keep their best quality of performance. It is no exception to the players of the band either. Some retired actors often came to the troupe to teach the young actors with their skillful experience for free. Lei Sizhi- one of the retired artists contributed his hand writing music score of Xiangju opera to the troupe.

In 2010, more than 30 selected scenes were performed in Yongxing county during the temple fair period, which attracted hundred thousands of local villagers to enjoy the performance there. It was seldom to see such kind of situation in Hunan province even China. It was introduced by national inheritor of Xiangju opera- Xie Zhongyi that over 70 traditional theatrical pieces were performed again by the troupe in recent years.

Over 200 performances were presented to the villagers every year

Guiyang Xiangju troupe carried out the action of performance in village from 1999. Every year, over 200 performances were presented to villagers. Till now, over 500 administrative villages of Guiyang county and some other ones around the county were benefited from the troupe’s wonderful performance. Though many difficulties as bad weather, hard transportation condition, poor performance condition, etc. would be encountered during their performances, all the actors of the troupe tried their best to conquer them and present the best performances to the villagers.

Good head of troupe leads development of troupe

Xie Nengjiao- the head of Guiyang Xiangju troupe took her place in 2010 when she was just 31-year-old. Besides the management work, Xie needed to play the performance as well. In order to improve the troupe’s development, Xie led the team to run over the representative programs and fought hard to collect the funds with different ways. With years hardworking, Guiyang Xiangju troupe was with much better fame around the county and was contributed with more supports from the society.

No pains, no gains. Guiyang Xiangju troupe was selected as the “Hunan provincial advanced unit of serving for peasants and serving for construction of grassroots culture”in 2011, and Xie Nengjiao was awarded with the title of “good head”in the same year. This year, the troupe was awarded with higher level prize of“national advanced unit of serving for peasants and serving for construction of grassroots culture”, the exclusive one among all other Hunan troupes.