A woman helps an actress put on make-up backstage at an opera competition in Fuzhou, Fujian province. [Photo/Xinhua]

A student representing an art school in Quanzhou performs the opera Stealing Immortal Herbs, a local style of opera from South Fujian called Gaojia, during an opera competition in Fuzhou, Fujian province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Fuzhou, capital of South China's Fujian province, has been feasting on a smorgasbord of traditional art and culture this week as the city hosts the finals of the Fujian Opera Daffodil Awards.

The 11-day celebration of Chinese opera began on Feb 12 and has featured more than 350 contestants performing in four theaters across Fuzhou.

Co-hosted by organizations including the Fujian Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Fujian Provincial Department of Culture, the awards are designed to put the spotlight on China’s many regional opera styles.

In addition to heavyweights such as Peking Opera and Yue Opera, the festival has also included performances of several lesser-known local forms that are almost on the verge of extinction, such as Siping Opera and Pingjiang Opera.

Performers were scored by their level of proficiency in basic skills such as singing, dancing, and acrobatics over a prescribed time, as well as how well they coordinated their performances with the musicians and co-stars.