Chongqing - "Innovation is essential to align the traditional Chinese operatic repertoire with the aesthetic and spiritual demands of contemporary audiences," said Zhao Ting, deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress and dean of the School of Dance and Theater at Chongqing Culture and Arts Vocational College, ahead of the upcoming Chongqing Two Sessions.

Zhao Ting is teaching the students about stage performance. (Photo/Zhao Ting)

Chongqing has a rich history of performing traditional Chinese opera and a wealth of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) resources. The region boasts six national-level representative projects: Chedeng, Sichuan Storytelling, Sichuan Zhuqin, Sichuan Yangqin, Sichuan Qingyin, and Sichuan Jinqian Clapper.

With the acceleration of modernization, the number of active traditional opera forms has shrunk to under 20, and Chongqing has only 10 national-level representative inheritors in this field.

Last year at Chongqing's Two Sessions, Zhao urged immediate steps to bolster the safeguarding and continuation of Chongqing's traditional Chinese opera, emphasizing the need to endow them with fresh contemporary relevance. "The top priority is rescuing and preserving ICH opera projects," she said.

In her research, Zhao discovered that many ICH opera genres are endangered due to aging inheritors, causing breaks in transmission and art form losses. Moreover, funding shortages for training new performers have led to a dearth of successors.

"Cultivating talent is the key," Zhao noted, advocating for enhanced training, recruitment, and the establishment of pertinent academic programs. She emphasized blending theoretical research with artistic practice to ensure a vibrant future for performing arts.

Several related government departments have been working on solutions in response to her suggestions.

Gao Jinshan, an official from the Art Department of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, stated that over the years, Chongqing has continuously carried out inheritance training and ICH documentation and protection projects for seven traditional opera forms, including Sichuan Qingyin and Sichuan Yangqin, involving 10 mentor inheritors and 27 trainees.

"The next step will continue to rescue endangered ICH projects and develop a tiered system for training national and municipal ICH inheritors," Gao said.

He also mentioned ongoing efforts to document the performances, accompaniments, musical structures, and oral and written records of senior artists, establishing a comprehensive archive for performing arts.

To cultivate talent, Chongqing plans to explore integrated training programs for traditional performing arts and strengthen the joint cultivation of high-level vocational colleges, applied undergraduate universities, and enterprises to produce top technical and skilled talents.

From 2020 to 2023, Chongqing invested 27 million yuan (USD 3.69 million) in protecting and creatively performing ICH projects, resulting in nine works. For example, Dynamic Chongqing has completed 159 commercial performances, attracting a cumulative audience of 15,000.

Gao added that efforts will continue to integrate resources, expand the performing arts market, and accelerate the creation of new plays. Campuses will also receive support to organize specialized Chinese opera education, aiming to establish a dedicated Chinese opera school and continue to infuse new talent into the art.

At this year's Chongqing Two Sessions, Zhao will also put forward suggestions related to education, particularly on how to enhance the high-quality development of Chongqing's cultural and art institutions and standardize the "double reduction" policy.