Elaborate Ningbo Yue Opera given trial performance

The original Yue Opera Library was performed on a trial basis in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on April 10.

Created by the local Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, the eight act play tells a late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties story in which scholar Wang Zhongxi dedicates his whole life to guarding Tianyi Pavilion, the library in Ningbo.

In addition to melodious Yue opera music, Library also features a unique stage design.

The stage is rolled out in the shape of an open book and the scene changes occur as if leafing through ink painting after ink painting, a style that echoes the theme of the whole play.

Founded in the Ming Dynasty, Tianyi Pavilion was a private library with the longest history in Asia. In 1982, it was included as an important cultural relic under state protection by the State Council.