President of Guoguang Opera Company—Zhao-Hu Chen

1.How did you feel to undertake the serious duty of the President of the Guoguang Opera Company?
Ans:Every since1995, I came to the Company.First as Human Resource Director, then Secretary General, Vice President, and Acting President,I therefore, quite understood the entire operation and development.Probably high ranking official considered I may be capable of this type of work, then selected me as this position.

2. Ever since you have been appointed the President of the Company, have you ever occurred difficulty or challenge of operation? 
Ans:In the past, audience of the traditional opera was mostly elderly; therefore, one of our challenges is to actively expand new young audience, and let such fine performing arts pass to the next generation.We did plenty efforts in this issue, our methods are as follows:
A.We undertake campus lecture each year, let the students of college and high school to be acquainted of Chinese opera at school.
B.We facilitate Art Expressway plan, undertake performance and teaching activities in schools in-depth.
C.We progressively expand performing places, from National Theater to ground field of small temples.We tour to faraway counties and towns to take place multi-activities.
D.We care about inferiority group, go to nursery homes everywhere, and we participate children’s art festival to promote Chinese opera.
E.We design light and lively “Chinese opera exercise and dance” to vastly attract young audience to set up the solid foundation for the sustainability of opera development.

3.Since the Chinese opera was transmitted from Mainland China to Taiwan, how does the Company let the Chinese opera art develop and shine on Taiwan?
Ans:In the early years, Chinese opera in Taiwan, due to more Mainland Chinese origin groups residents and less entertainment at that age, many people at that time, besides watching opera, as long as the voice is classic, they would feel satisfied.You many say, the then Military Arts Center and private theater were fully occupied everyday.However, along the old audience gradually fade away, fewer and fewer officials and soldiers came to the opera.In 1995, in order to decrease staff, military dismissed the past three army opera companies.Later, the President office, to respond the civil request, and felt that it is important cultural assets that needed to be promoted, then government appointed Ministry of Education to establish national Guoguang Opera Company.And through recruitment of the staff of the original three army opera companies, we kept the best talents to Guoguang, and continuously launched new and classic operas.

Besides the continuity of traditional Chinese opera, we also did plenty innovative operas, mainly to the students of colleges and senior high schools.Each year, 80% of our performances are for young people.In the end of last month, we played “Three Persons” and so on.It was played some five years.Students liked it very much.It is very positive to our creation. Now, tickets box of the Guoguang performance is very good, especially public performances.The performance is delicate.Next year we will also have Art Expressway to everywhere.In the future, we also will have opera that’s suitable for junior high school that is very different from the audience people normally conceived.Now, people of each age group like our performance.

Poster of program propaganda.

4.How to enroll actors of the Company and train them?
Ans:We select actors of the Company openly.Besides in-house directors, we also invite professionals and scholars to jointly select the proper staff of the Company.After selection and enter into the Company, they have to pass through very strict training process and then become formal Company members.

5.How to progressively promote Chinese opera, both in Taiwan and overseas?
Ans:Domestically, besides various performances, we also conduct teacher’s workshop, demonstration teaching, children summer camp, campus lecture and other activities.Besides, we often go abroad to perform, and receive great criticism from all over the world.

6.Now is a multi-entertainment age, audiences of Chinese opera are mostly elderly people, young group is less proportionally.Under such circumstances, how the Company expand audience?
Ans:Due to most audience of Chinese opera are elderly people, in order to attract more young audience, we decided to tour performance in every county and city.The subject and contents are cope with modern point-of-view, and the stage and property also use technology to aid.Nor do we collect tickets.In the past few years, more people came to watch Chinese opera.

Actors are rehearsing.

7.Please state your attitude toward government’s support to traditional opera cultural art?
Ans:Government supports the traditional opera dearly.Guoguang Opera Company, established by the Ministry of Education, is a national-level cultural art group and promotion unit.Each year, government designates plenty budget to support traditional opera.

8.Please briefly explain your expectation to the future development of Guoguang Opera Company?
Ans:I wish the Company’s efforts may let more people enjoy watching and appreciating Chinese opera, and let the good traditional cultural art promoted to the world.

Reference: research team interview with President Mr. Zhao-Hu Chen of the Guoguang Opera Company
Source of Photos: Photography of the research team

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