On September 18, the launching ceremony of “Operas into Campuses” pilot project is held in Chongqing University. Tan Jialing, deputy mayor of Chongqing, Zhou Xun, secretary of Chongqing University CPC Committee, Zhang Hongbin, head of the Propaganda Department of CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, and director and CPC Committee secretary of Chongqing Municipal Culture Commission, Deng Qinquan, full-time educational inspector of Chongqing Education Commission and Shen Tiemei, chairman of Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, are all present.

Zhang Zongyi, permanent deputy secretary of CPC Chongqing University Committee, points out in his speech that this event aims to promote inheritance and development of Chinese opera art, and enrich the spiritual and cultural life of students and teachers. Zhang extends his sincere welcome to the officials and honored guests attending the ceremony and gratitude towards the artists of Chongqing Sichuan Opera Theatre engaged in the “Opera into Campuses” initiative.

The Sichuan Opera titled The Chalk Circle is performed by Chongqing Sichuan Opera Theatre at the theatre of Huxi Students Center as the beginning of the opening ceremony. The opera is adapted from The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht, a German drama master, and tells a story about two mothers scrambling for one child in ancient times in China . In the opera, a servant girl named Du Juan adopted an abandoned prince with no blood relation, and raised him up alone by overcoming unimaginable difficulties and hardships. The opera reflects the kindness and brave of Du Juan and her devoted love for the child. With one climax following another, the opera also has humorous dialogues and performing style, apart from the simple and enjoyable stage art design and elegant music for voices. Some Sichuan opera elements like “face changing” are integrated into the show, which has impressed the students both visually and acoustically. The performance is greeted by the audience with continuous applauses.

The wonderful performance of performers has been well received by students and teachers. A freshman of 2017 from the School of Arts named Xu Yutong says that this opera is of predominant local characteristics, and the Sichuan and Chongqing dialects spoken in the performance make the opera more humorous and make Chongqing more familiar to her as a new comer. Ban Rong, a student from Meishi Film  Academy, says that: “The devotion of the performers to the performance has really touched me. I’m also amazed at the splendid costume and impressive lighting unique to Sichuan operas. I know something about Shanxi opera, Beijing opera and Kunqu opera before. But this is the first time that I have watched Sichuan opera. It really has impressed me. I enjoy the combination of ancient and modern lines in the script. They sound very amiable. I’m shocked by the artistic impact of Sichuan opera.”

Officials of Propaganda Department of CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, Chongqing Education Committee, Chongqing Municipal Culture Commission and Chongqing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, as well as officials of 10 colleges and universities including Chongqing University and Southwest University, CQU students and teachers and some primary and middle school teachers are also present to watch the show.