On January 11th, the recording for the 2026 Chinese Opera Gala "China's Finest Opera" took place. Masters gather to present a spectacular scene, as the fragrance of plum blossoms fills the hall to celebrate the new spring. Meticulously produced by Hebei Broadcasting Television, the "China's Finest Opera" 2026 Chinese Opera Gala is scheduled to air on February 17th (the first day of the Lunar New Year) on Hebei Satellite TV and the Jishi News client. The gala, themed "Hundred Operas Enter Hebei, Hundred Plums Vie in Spring," brings together over 30 opera genres from across the nation. It encompasses major northern styles like Peking Opera, Pingju Opera, Hebei Bangzi, and Yu Opera, alongside southern classics such as Yue Opera, Chuan Opera, and Huangmei Opera. Lesser-known genres like Meihu Opera, Longjiang Opera, and Pingdiao Laozhi will also be showcased collectively in Hebei for the first time. Structured into five chapters—"Hundred Plums Vie in Spring," "Beauty in Diversity," "Family and Country Sentiments," "Enduring Classics," and "Hundred Operas Enter Hebei"—the program closely aligns with the core themes of the Year of the Horse and family reunion. It features a diverse array of highlights, fully displaying the beauty of inheritance and the power of innovation within Chinese opera. The传承 of opera art relies on the dedication and cultivation by generations of artists. This gala assembles a top-tier lineup from the opera world, presenting a flourishing scene of contemporary opera art where a hundred flowers bloom. The chief director, Zhang Maoling, introduced that the event specially invited five recipients of the Plum Blossom Grand Prize: Shang Changrong, Pei Yanling, Mao Weitao, Shen Tiemei, and Feng Yuping. Over 30 recipients of the "Double Plum Blossom" award, including Han Zaifen, Li Shujian, Xie Tao, Liu Xiurong, Xu Heying, and Zhu Shihui, as well as Plum Blossom Award winners like Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu, Xiao Xiangyu, and Wang Peiyu, will join hands to present classic masterpieces for the audience. Shen Tiemei, renowned as the "Premiere Dan vocalist of Chuan Opera," performed an excerpt from Chuan Opera's "Celebrating the Good Night," perfectly blending the unique charm of Chuan Opera with New Year's blessings through its cheerful melody and auspicious lyrics. Pingju master Feng Yuping presented "Shengjing Sentiments," a Pingju piece created after she won the Plum Blossom Grand Prize, using her highly expressive performance to shape vivid characters. Huangmei Opera master Han Zaifen, alongside young actors, performed the signature piece "The Female Consort," recreating the charm of the opera classic with her clear and melodious singing. Xie Tao, a leading figure in Jin Opera, performed "Ascending the Palace," using her profound skills to fully express the core themes of "glorious return and joyous reunion," which highly resonates with the Spring Festival atmosphere. Pingju master Liu Xiurong collaborated with Luo Huiqin and Xu Jinxian to perform "The Flower as Matchmaker," with the three masters showcasing their distinct vocal charms and demonstrating the elegance of the New School of Pingju. Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu performed an excerpt from Peking Opera's "The Dragon and Phoenix Bring Prosperity," where the mellow charm of the Yang School Laosheng and the dignified grace of the Mei School Qingyi complemented each other perfectly. Peking Opera master Wang Peiyu performed "Searching for the Orphan, Rescuing the Orphan" and "Three Family Inn" using the Yu School singing style, and also shared the cultural connotations of traditional "New Year operas," allowing the audience to appreciate the charm of "opening stage performances." Furthermore, Plum Blossom Award winners such as Kunqu master Wang Fang, Huju Opera master Hua Wen, Qinqiang Opera master Li Mei, Chuan Opera master Chen Qiaoru, and Yu Opera master Li Shujian each showcased their expertise by performing classic excerpts, truly achieving a scene where "a hundred plums vie in spring" with diverse schools flourishing. The gala specially included a "Double Plum Blossom Interview" segment, featuring five masters: Zhu Shihui ("The Number One Chou in Peking Opera"), Bai Shuxian (founder of Longjiang Opera), Cui Lianrun (a representative figure of Pingju Opera), Liu Yun (a renowned Wen-Wu Dan of Chuan Opera), and Jing Xuebian ("Queen of Pu Opera"). They engaged in candid discussions about opera传承 and the cultural atmosphere of opera in Hebei. The artists also performed live during the interviews, making the segment culturally rich,观赏性, and interactive, serving as an emotional bridge connecting artists with the audience. The vitality of traditional opera lies in innovative expression based on坚守 its fundamental principles. Director Zhang Maoling explained that the gala deeply cultivates the "opera+" creative concept. Through innovative arrangements of different schools, the creation of original thematic pieces, and diverse跨界融合, it injects contemporary vitality into traditional opera, striving to "sing old operas anew and recompose old melodies." The goal is to create a gala that can both move资深戏迷 and attract young audiences. Original thematic programs precisely呼应 the atmosphere of the Year of the Horse, becoming highlights of the gala's innovation. The martial arts piece "Five-Colored Horse Galloping" closely follows the Year of the Horse theme, focusing on the cultural significance of five famous horses on the opera stage: the White Dragon Horse, Peach Blossom Horse, Yellow Biao Horse, Black Horse, and Red Hare Horse. Actors like Hao Shichao (as Zhao Yun), Qi Xiukun (as Mu Guiying), Li Yanke (as Qin Qiong), Zeng Shuaihang (as Zhang Fei), and Shi Zhihong (as Lü Bu) showcased the heroic bearing of different characters with their exquisite skills. Using the expressive aesthetics of opera—where "a few steps traverse the world, six or seven people represent a million troops; holding a whip signifies a steed galloping, rowing an oar implies a great river flowing"—they conveyed the beautiful expectations for the Year of the Horse: advancing with determination and achieving immediate success. 跨界融合 has become an important path for opera to break through cultural circles. The opera-song "Wandering in Love for the Mountains" was jointly performed by young Peking Opera actor Guo Yu'ang and Kunqu actor He Xinyue. It constructs a rich auditory experience through the多元融合 of popular singing, opera-style interpretation, and opera recitative. Peking Opera master Fu Xiru collaborated with young Peking Opera actor Wang Mengting to perform "Wujia Slope 2026," interpreting a traditional story with modern arrangements and a youthful performance style to precisely meet the aesthetics of young audiences. Opera skits enriched the content dimension of the gala. The opera skit "Double Happiness" used the common New Year topic of "being urged to marry" as a starting point, weaving a趣味 story that incorporated excerpts from multiple opera genres, showcasing contemporary young people's views on love in a lighthearted and humorous atmosphere. "Five Blessings Descend" used the storyline of the Heavenly Official Bestowing Blessings to串联 excerpts from genres like Meihu Opera, Pingdiao Laozhi, and Longjiang Opera, vividly演绎 the five blessings of reunion, joy, love, harmony, and family/country. The directing team精心打造 two thematic segments: "The Four Great Dan Admire Their Prime" and "The Four Great Laosheng Celebrate the Splendid Year," constructing the lineage of Peking Opera school传承. In "The Four Great Dan Admire Their Prime," Mei School inheritor Zhang Huifang performed the dignified grandeur of "Farewell My Concubine," Shang School inheritor Zhou Li displayed the resolute courage of "Princess Shuangyang," Cheng School inheritor Li Haiyan interpreted the melancholic grace of "The Lucky Purse," and Xun School inheritor Zhang Jiachun presented the lively俏皮 of "Selling Water," allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the charm of classic art. "The Four Great Laosheng Celebrate the Splendid Year" assembled four classics: Ma School's "Ganlu Temple," Tan School's "Dingjun Mountain," Yang School's "The Empty City Stratagem," and Xi School's "Fan Jin Passes the Imperial Exam." This not only satisfied资深戏迷's desire for in-depth appreciation of school classics but also provided young audiences with a clear artistic lineage as an introductory guide to Peking Opera. The Spring Festival is an important vehicle for cultural传承. The gala巧妙地 used opera art to highlight cultural传承,家国情怀, and the distinctive characteristics of Hebei's regional culture. Huju Opera master Hua Wen, Qinqiang Opera master Li Mei, and Chuan Opera master Chen Qiaoru—three "Double Plum Blossom" awardees—jointly performed "Ode to the Red Plum," allowing the红色基因 to be passed down through generations in diverse vocal styles. Peking Opera master Wang Yan performed an excerpt from "Women Generals of the Yang Family," using her文武兼备 performance to fully展现 Mu Guiying's great righteousness for her family and country and her lofty aspirations on the battlefield. The infusion of youthful energy has revitalized opera传承 with勃勃生机. In "The Most Beautiful Chinese Opera," over 30 university students formed a youth choir, integrating their love for opera art into melodious songs. Young students from Peking University, Renmin University of China, Zhejiang University, and other institutions brilliantly performed classic excerpts such as Yue Opera's "Butterfly Lovers," Peking Opera's "Peach Blossom Village," and Yu Opera's "Mu Guiying Takes Command," demonstrating the cultural confidence and传承 commitment of the new generation. The children's opera segment was equally heartwarming. Children with an average age of under 10 brilliantly performed excerpts from classics like Yue Opera's "Dream of the Red Chamber" and Peking Opera's "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy,"直观 showcasing the vibrant传承 vitality of opera art. The innovative fusion of "opera + culture and tourism" became an important window for disseminating Hebei's charm and empowering文旅发展. The "Opera Tour in Hebei" segment, centered on an excerpt from Yue Opera's "Chasing the Fish," created a creative music video shot on location at Hebei Tangshan Hetou Old Street. It deeply integrated the classic excerpt with the ancient street's charm and Hebei's folk customs. As a newly popular check-in spot for Hebei tourism, Tangshan Hetou Old Street entered the视野 of national audiences through the opera lens. This helped embed the brand concept "So Close, So Beautiful, Weekend in Hebei" deeply into people's hearts amidst the opera charm, achieving mutual empowerment between opera art and tourism resources, and injecting opera cultural vitality into Hebei's文旅发展. As the grand finale of the gala, the original Hebei Bangzi opera-song "Hundred Plums Vie in Spring" pushed the atmosphere of the entire performance to a climax. Opera actors from Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei jointly sang the opera-song "Hundred Plums Vie in Spring," which serves both as a tribute to the flourishing state of Chinese opera and as a beautiful prayer for family reunion during the New Spring and for national peace and prosperity.
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