Hebei Opera artist Peng Yanqin

All the world’s a stage, and men and women merely players. In the world of Hebei Opera, Peng Yanqin is one of the most exceptional performers. The overwhelmingly intense emotion in her singing has conquered a multitude of fans and brought her wide recognition.

For Peng Yanqin, the stage is where she feels most at ease. One of the leading ladies of Hebei Opera, she has spent the better part of her adult life in theaters of various shapes and sizes. And those decades of experience have helped her form a style of universal appeal and popularity.

Peng Yanqin prefers the outdoor stages and opera fan clubs in rural and suburban areas. There she can entertain and interact with the most faithful devotees. In return, she’s received a deep understanding of Hebei Opera.

Peng Yanqin said, “For instance, the Beijing style is smoother. It goes like this. The melodic line is round. In contrast, the Hebei style has drastic fluctuations. It goes like this. It has greater strength.”

Across the vast plains of North China, Hebei Opera has dominated the traditional popular entertainment for centuries. A child of Shaanxi Opera, it grew up amidst the prosperity of the early Qing Dynasty over 200 years ago. In spite of its rural origin, its appeal has spread to big cities like Beijing and Tianjin and once literally shared the stage with Peking Opera. And even today, its fans still carry on the tradition of dressing up and staging their own productions of classic plays.

Opera fans said, “I've been an opera fan since childhood. Now I'm 85 years old. I've always loved Hebei Opera.”