Funan Haizi Opera

Funan Haizi Opera gets its name because of the frequent use of the word “Hai” when opera singers start to sing. It was probably formed during the reign of Emperors Jiaqing and Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, and was mainly active in the middle and upper reaches of the Huaihe River. In the early stage of the formation of the opera, the artists adopted the form of “sitting and singing coloratura around the drums”. The art form was simple. After the liberation of China, the Party and the government attached great importance to the opera. Funan Hiaizi Theater Troupe was established in 1958, and the average number of performances was more than 280 in the 1950s and 1960s. The number of performances was more than 300 from 1978 to 1981, which greatly satisfied the people’s needs for having more cultural leisure activities.