Meet the Princess Odette in Peking Opera

The "verdant robe" in Peking Opera is often the leading female role, a virtuous lady of high social status, elegant and well-mannered. Think of Princess Odette in "Swan Lake."

The now superstar of the "verdant robe," Shi Yihong, was alerted, at age 10, by her teacher not to smile with her mouth open, even when she was off stage.

"You are going to play the 'verdant robe,' how can you smile in such a way?" asked the teacher, her words leaving an indelible mark and causing young Shi to start paying attention to her manners.

Traits of nearly 40 years of training and performance are obvious when Shi exquisitely holds her coffee cup and talks with Shanghai Daily, but her opening words are somewhat of a surprise.

"I miss practicing martial arts, I'm sort of 'tomboyish' when off stage," said the 49-year-old diva, excited about her upcoming rerun of "New Dragon Gate Inn," a Peking Opera version of Tsui Hark's 1992 martial arts movie.

The show has two lead female roles, neither fitting the traditional opera form's "verdant robe." One is a righteous female warrior disguised as a man and fighting alongside her lover to save two orphans. The other is a vibrant innkeeper in a remote desert who falls in love at first sight when the warrior's lover steps into the inn, and tries to seduce him.

Read more: https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/2111248585/

Видео Meet the Princess Odette in Peking Opera канала Shanghai Daily