A Brief Introduction to theKunju Troupe of Hunan Province
     The Kunju Troupe of Hunan Province was established in 1964 ( whose former was the Chenzhou Xiangqun Troupe set up in 1960 ), and is one of the six Kunju Opera troupes in existence, and is the only professional Kunju Opera artistic performance party in the six provinces in central China and even in Southwest China and South China. The existing troupe leader and party secretary is Fuguang Zhang.
     Since the establishment of the troupe, the troupe staff hav made great efforts to search and pack up and created more than 60 big plays, and over 200 highlights from operas. The performances of our troupe have covered almost all the major cities and areas at home, and our troupe have for many times been to Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Britain to participate some significant performances , and have been enjoying a worldwide fame. The newly edited and performed play Jinchai Story was awarded Excellent Performance in first session of China ( Suzhou) Kunju Opera Ary Festival and Performance of the Excellent Classical Kunju Opera Plays, was also awarded “ Tianhan Prize” in Hunan , and was selected into the works of the “ five-first-project ” in the seventh time of Hunan Civilization Construction Porject, and in 2001 it was given Excellent Play of the Cao Yu Play Prize in the seventh time of China(Nanning)CaoYu Play Festival; the play Viceroy Yitian was selected as the play for the performance for the leaders from the Central leaders in Zhongnanhai, and was renamed The Judgement of the Crazy Scholar and made into an artistic film of Kunju Opera by the Central News and Documentary Studio(collaborated); Lost in the Balcony Fog was awarded Excellent Performance in the nationwide performance of the new Kunju Opera plays. A series of traditional highlights from operas such as Wusong Kills his Sister-in-law, Fighting at the Temple Gate, Meeting Mother, Snatching Baton, Daydrdaming, Dream Pursuit, Guess What is Sent, Hide Jade, Hide Boat have beed re-edited and have been give special flavor of the time and have become classics of Kunju Opera plays.
     The Kunju Troupe of Hunan Province, which was mainly based on the staff of the Jiahe Kunju Opera Class in the 1950s, consists of some other good actors and actresses were selected from other troupes, the troupe’s trainees and some students graduated from Hunan Provincial Art School in the 1980s and 1990s and in the year 2003. Our troupe has a balanced organization of staff with leading actors and actresses of different gaes. They all have goog performing basis and their performances are of their own peculiar characteristics. The middil-aged performer Ziwen Lei enjoys the fame of “ the fist leg of the Kunju Opera in China ” , the young performer Fuguan Zhang , Yiping Fu won the highest award of cating of drama of China “ Mei Flower Prize” and was given “ Kunju Opera Promoting Prize” in the nationwide competition of the excellent middle-aged and young performers of Kunju Opera of China. Eleven actor won in series the “ Hunan Drama Lotus Prize” , nine actor won respectively the “ Orchids Prize” for the best acting, excellent acting and performing in the National Kun Opera Exchange Performance of Young Actors, 53 students sent to further their study in Shanghai Drama School have now finished their study and have come back to work as backbone forces of our troupe. There are more than 40 highlights from oeras such as Wlaking in the Garden, Dream Thriller, Stabbing the Tiger, Stopping the Horse, Fighting at the Temple Gate, Yandang Hill, etc., and complete drama A Legend of the Lady Serpent. A lot of young actors and actresses have shown their talents in performing and have beed widely recognized and welcome on the stage and in the world of drama.