Qi Shufang, founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, makes a face-painting before performance during the 6th China Peking Opera Art Festival in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 8, 2011. Qi Shufang, founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, is well known both in China and in the United States as a master performer. Qi started studying Peking Opera at the age of four and later went to the Shanghai Dramatic School. After winning first prize in a competition for rising actors in 1960, she was praised as a "promising opera performer" by the legendary female impersonator Mei Lanfang. She became a sensation throughout China at the age of 18 thanks to her performing in the "model operas" during China's Cultural Revolution period. Her reputation as a performer grew due to her facility in martial arts, riveting acting and her striking singing. In 1988, she relocated to New York where she formed an opera company and started her career to spread the traditional Peking Opera to the American public. Within over 20 years, more than one million American people have viewed the performance by Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, which has enjoyed wide acclaim. Qi has held annual Peking Operal Festival for consecutive 11 years. In 2001, Qi was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in traditional folk arts in the United States. (Xinhua/Hao Tongqian)
Stephanie Willing (L) and April Aubert, members of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, performs in "Pick up Jade Bracelet" during the 6th China Peking Opera Art Festival in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 8, 2011. Qi Shufang, founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, is well known both in China and in the United States as a master performer. Qi started studying Peking Opera at the age of four and later went to the Shanghai Dramatic School. After winning first prize in a competition for rising actors in 1960, she was praised as a "promising opera performer" by the legendary female impersonator Mei Lanfang. She became a sensation throughout China at the age of 18 thanks to her performing in the "model operas" during China's Cultural Revolution period. Her reputation as a performer grew due to her facility in martial arts, riveting acting and her striking singing. In 1988, she relocated to New York where she formed an opera company and started her career to spread the traditional Peking Opera to the American public. Within over 20 years, more than one million American people have viewed the performance by Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, which has enjoyed wide acclaim. Qi has held annual Peking Operal Festival for consecutive 11 years. In 2001, Qi was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in traditional folk arts in the United States. (Xinhua/Hao Tongqian)
Qi Shufang (L), founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, performs in the opera "The Women Generals of the Yang Family" during the 6th China Peking Opera Art Festival in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 8, 2011. Qi Shufang, founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, is well known both in China and in the United States as a master performer. Qi started studying Peking Opera at the age of four and later went to the Shanghai Dramatic School. After winning first prize in a competition for rising actors in 1960, she was praised as a "promising opera performer" by the legendary female impersonator Mei Lanfang. She became a sensation throughout China at the age of 18 thanks to her performing in the "model operas" during China's Cultural Revolution period. Her reputation as a performer grew due to her facility in martial arts, riveting acting and her striking singing. In 1988, she relocated to New York where she formed an opera company and started her career to spread the traditional Peking Opera to the American public. Within over 20 years, more than one million American people have viewed the performance by Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, which has enjoyed wide acclaim. Qi has held annual Peking Operal Festival for consecutive 11 years. In 2001, Qi was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in traditional folk arts in the United States. (Xinhua/Hao Tongqian)
Foreign audiences pose for photos during an interval of the Peking opera performance by Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe during the 6th China Peking Opera Art Festival in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 8, 2011. Qi Shufang, founder of Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, is well known both in China and in the United States as a master performer. Qi started studying Peking Opera at the age of four and later went to the Shanghai Dramatic School. After winning first prize in a competition for rising actors in 1960, she was praised as a "promising opera performer" by the legendary female impersonator Mei Lanfang. She became a sensation throughout China at the age of 18 thanks to her performing in the "model operas" during China's Cultural Revolution period. Her reputation as a performer grew due to her facility in martial arts, riveting acting and her striking singing. In 1988, she relocated to New York where she formed an opera company and started her career to spread the traditional Peking Opera to the American public. Within over 20 years, more than one million American people have viewed the performance by Qi Shufang Peking Opera Troupe, which has enjoyed wide acclaim. Qi has held annual Peking Operal Festival for consecutive 11 years. In 2001, Qi was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in traditional folk arts in the United States. (Xinhua/Hao Tongqian)
