Art form widens its reach, sends cultural message

She arranged for seven young women from the troupe to portray the seven goddesses from a folk tale and perform Huangmei Opera works via livestreaming on the Douyin short-video platform. The aim was to promote the art form and provide a platform for players who lacked offline performance opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To Liu's surprise, within three months of starting the livestreaming sessions, the troupe's account had gained nearly 600,000 followers and received 3 million "likes". The number of followers has since risen to 1.3 million.

Almost every day at 7:30 pm, the seven actresses go live in their broadcast room, where they sing for three hours. They also introduce the classic works and vocal styles of Huangmei Opera to their audiences.

The graceful and fluid vocal style of the art form harmonizes with the gentle, melodious way in which the Anqing dialect is spoken — characterized by smooth and uninterrupted intonation.

Xie Huihui, 26, who regularly takes part in the nightly livestreaming broadcasts, initially felt nervous during her first live appearance, but now confidently engages with audiences.

"I've noticed that many followers tune in every night solely to listen to the local dialect. One overseas fan said he joins our livestreaming sessions despite a 13-hour time difference. When I see such comments, I feel a profound connection with our viewers," Xie said.

Liu said the county troupe's online popularity has led to increased offline performance opportunities. In the past year, the players have received invitations to perform in provinces such as Guangdong and Shandong, and there are even possibilities for international performances.

"We hope more young audiences will visit the theater to appreciate Huangmei Opera," Liu added.

The popularity of Huangmei Opera in Huaining is just one example of the art form's overall development in Anqing. To better continue it, local primary schools have established related interest clubs and selective courses, and operatic elements have been incorporated into school exercises.