Opera season pays tribute to late master Zhou Xinfang

In Beijing, a series of Peking Opera shows is being held as a tribute to the late master Zhou Xinfang. Top artists from around the country staged some signature plays for the founder of the Qi School of performance.

Three days of performances are being offered at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater in Beijing. Among the plays are "Legend of the Four Scholars," "Fall of Ming Dynasty," and "The Treacherous Minister's Retribution." All of them have gained wide popularity through the interpretation of Zhou Xinfang.

Known as the founder of the Qi School of Peking opera performance, Zhou Xinfang was a star performer and entertainer in Shanghai for decades since the 1930s. Making a virtue of his slightly husky voice, he formulated a distinctive approach to give his characters great emotional depth. Such a style came to influence traditional opera artists throughout China, transcending the boundaries of specializations.

The shows in Beijing began on Saturday and ended on Monday and feature the performances of the best disciples of Zhou Xinfang.