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'Tears of joy' not operatic

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-29 14:14

At a donation ceremony for Henan province's culture and education sectors, Li Shujian, director of Henan No 2 Yuju Opera Troupe, expressed his gratitude to the donors, saying: "I have been crying all the time." But some netizens have questioned Li's sincerity, says an article in Xinhua Daily Telegraph. Excerpts:

There are enough reasons for Li Shujian to be "crying all the time". Many Chinese opera artists have been living in poverty. According to Li, members of the Henan No 2 Yuju Opera Troupe used to get a paltry salary, and their average annual income 6 or 7 years ago was only 5,000 yuan. That's why when sponsors donated money, Li and his troupe members broke into tears.

But members of almost all traditional Chinese opera troupes are facing the same situation. Take Peking Opera for example. A report, based on an investigation in 2009, says the five main problems opera artists face today are lack of funds, falling performance levels, fewer newcomers, loss of audience and lack of performing venues.

Li's Yuju troupe is the not the only one that needs support beyond government grants. So no performer devoted to his/her art will shed "tears of gratitude" if someone donates money to help his/her cause. Are not opera artists trying to preserve Chinese culture?

Li's tears, whether true or not, reflect the downfall of Chinese opera as a whole.

Perhaps the government could intervene by providing more funds to save the dying art of Chinese opera. Or perhaps philanthropists with a love for the arts could donate enough money to help the suffering artists.