Zhu Nu has lost count of the number of times she has played in the Yueju (Cantonese opera) tragedy Bamboo Love (Cuizhu Qing). But she still can't hold back her tears in the final scene.

There is both pain and happiness in those tears, says Zhu. Pain over the character's sufferings and happiness over being able to share this with her audience, she elaborates.

Zhu is considered one of the most extraordinary exponents of this opera in southern Guangdong province.

"You need a mask to disguise yourself in real life. But on stage, you can hide behind a character. What you present is partly you, and partly the character," says the 30-year-old, who has spent 12 years on stage.

Despite a shrinking fan base, the 300-year-old Yueju was included in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage earlier this month, giving Zhu and other devoted performers and lovers of this opera hope for its future.

Born Zhu Yunyi, the leading lady of the Luo Jiabao Youth Cantonese Opera Troupe is one of the reasons for its success.

The troupe was founded in 2004 by Luo Jiabao (who created the characteristic forceful and rhythmic tone called xiaqiang in Cantonese Opera) and Zheng Quanhui, a retired judge and Yueju amateur.

Now 58, Zheng says the troupe is the realization of his lifelong dream. He has poured not just his heart but also his money into preserving this ancient art form.

In fact, Zheng is not averse to singing a line or two over the phone when trying to convey what Yueju is all about to someone with little knowledge of it. While the lyrics will escape those who don't know Cantonese, the melody is bound to enchant them.

The troupe performs nearly every other day during the busy autumn season, from mid-September to November. Around the Spring Festival, more than 100 troupes shuttle between the countryside and towns in the Pearl River Delta, one of the country's most developed regions.

While most Yueju troupes are disbanded in the low season, Zheng's troupe is one of just 30 or so that are able to pay their artists throughout the year.

When not performing, Zhu and the other performers explore new plays and practice basic skills.

Zheng says it costs some 120,000 yuan ($17,600) per month to run the troupe. They perform up to 200 times a year, a number that even State-owned troupes cannot match. He also holds some 20 shows for free each year to promote the art of Yueju.

"Running the troupe doesn't bring in any profit. It's just for entertainment," says Zheng. "I'm not the boss, just the leader of people sharing the same interests."

Zhu Nu is clearly the biggest attraction of the troupe, and stands apart from performers of folk operas in China's rural area. She is the only one in her troupe to drive a car, costing more than 200,000 yuan, to commute between her home in Guangzhou and the troupe based in Dongguan, an hour's drive away.

Zhu's early interest in Yueju was sparked by her parents, both ardent fans of this opera. Her piano tutor's home was located next to the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Theater, and this gave her many opportunities to sit in on live performances.

Her passion led her to pursue Yueju studies at the prestigious National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts in Beijing. Her monthly salary is more than 10,000 yuan ($1,500), nearly five times that earned by the least-paid in the troupe.

"I express myself through my performances and writing," says Zhu, an avid reader of history and culture. She loves ancient poetry and occasionally tries her hand at it in her blog.

"There is a certain elegance in Yueju, hinting at a leisurely pace of life and characters with a quiet and peaceful temperament," Zhu says.

Her favorite is Flower of the Emperor's Daughter (Di Nu Hua), a story about Princess Cheung Ping and her husband giving up their lives for the country at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

"There is a faith that you should hold on to all your life. It outweighs love and life. For the princess, that signified dignity," says Zhu.

She always tries to convince the other performers that Yueju is a true art, not just a job. This is perhaps hard to grasp as most of them come from impoverished rural families in the small city of Zhanjiang in Guangdong.

Most of the troupe's young performers, aged around 20-21, come from local art schools who have worked their way up in State-owned or folk troupes.

Chen Meijuan, for example, joined the troupe three months ago, after parting ways with the Zhanjiang Cantonese Opera Troupe.

She joined the Zhanjiang troupe in 1996 when she was just 14, but only got some minor roles.

Chen says she is not too concerned about how much money she makes. "What matters more is a platform to develop my career," she says.

Unlike Zhu and Chen, Li Yongbin didn't even know what Cantonese opera was when he attended an art school in Guangzhou. What motivated the 12-year-old to join was the opportunity to explore the outside world.

But despite being with the troupe for the past 11 years, his enthusiasm for the opera has not strengthened. Li spends his spare time learning computer skills and plans to run his own restaurant business in two or three years.

"I can perform opera even when I'm 50, but my passion for running my own business may not last long," says the young man.

Such ambitions do not worry Zheng. "Performers are lining up for auditions because what I provide is the best among all folk troupes," he says confidently.

Zheng is now building a website for his troupe. "I hope Cantonese Opera will soon become popular with non-Cantonese speaking audiences too," he says.

(China Daily 10/28/2009 page18)