From November 15 to 17, 2024, Ouyang Junhu, President of Yunnan Arts University (YNAU), led a team of 22 teachers and students from the Drama School to participate in the 2024 Belt and Road National Traditional Performing Arts Festival and the 12th Shanghai International Experimental Theatre Festival, jointly organized by the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts.
As a crucial part of the art festival, the 12th Shanghai International Experimental Theatre Festival showcased 12 performances from six countries. YNAU's original small theater experimental opera Qiuhu Teasing His Wife-The Most Familiar Strangers was selected for performance at the New Space Theatre of Shanghai Theatre Academy from November 14 to 15. YNAU's Qiuhu Teasing His Wife draws inspiration from the traditional opera "Qiuhu Teasing His Wife in the Mulberry Garden". The story of Qiuhu and Meiying was brought to life through comic remarks of four narrators on marriage and love across ancient and modern times, as well as the captivating performances of the actor and actress using Kunqu Opera, Yunnan Opera, and Henan Opera. This creative reinterpretation transforms the classic tale into a thought-provoking discussion about marriage and emotional relationships. Due to their unique form, exquisite structure, beautiful singing, and interesting stories, the two performances received widespread praise from the audience. President Ouyang Junhu, along with Yang Jun, Dean of the Drama School at YNAU, went backstage to visit the participating teachers and students, encouraging them to create more excellent works that preserve Chinese traditional culture.
On November 16, 11 experts from four countries held an academic seminar on "The Promotion and Imagination of Traditional Performing Arts". Professor Yang Junxia, Vice Dean of the Drama School at YNAU, delivered a keynote speech titled "Principles and Innovations in Cultivating Performing Talent at YNAU: A Case Study of Qiuhu Teasing His Wife". Focusing on three aspects: the new adaptation of traditional operas alongside the modern transformation and academic enhancement of national drama traditions, preserving tradition while promoting innovative development across drama genres and industries, and the distinctive development, integration, and sharing of regional art resources, she highlighted, through the lens of drama creation, the accomplishments of project-based teaching in postgraduate training at the Drama School of YNAU.
During the festival, President Ouyang Junhu met with Huang Changyong, President of Shanghai Theatre Academy, and engaged in in-depth exchanges on further cooperation between the two sides. They believed that years of extensive cooperation in teaching, scientific research, and creation have fostered a deep friendship between the two parties.
While in Shanghai, a delegation of five members, including President Ouyang Junhu, Yang Jun, Dean of the Drama School at YNAU, and Yang Junxia, Vice Dean of the Drama School, visited Songjiang to investigate the "National College Huang Danian-style Teaching Team" led by Lu Jun, Level-2 Professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and the "Lu Jun Drama Education Center". The research delegation gained a comprehensive understanding of the development status, educational characteristics, and operating mechanism of the Lu Jun Drama Education Center. They expressed their hope to explore new approaches and make innovative efforts to fulfill the goal of building a national first-class major in drama and film literature while cultivating top innovative talent. This goal would be achieved by leveraging the robust teaching resources of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the distinctive educational model of the Lu Jun Drama Education Center.
