The Yu Opera Five Generations Volunteer for Battle, performed by the Henan Yu Opera Troupe No. 1, was originally named Twelve Widows on the Expedition to the West or Taking Charge at the Age of 100. Having been passed on by several generations of artists, this opera has been continuously perfected. In early 1950s, the playwright Chen Xianzhang adapted the opera again by stressing the subject, rationalizing the plot, enriching the characters and refining the libretto. He renamed it as Five Generations Volunteer for Battle. Starred by the famous patriotic artist and Yu Opera master Chang Xiangyu, it was performed all over China. The opera depicts 12 women from different generations of the Yang family. After their husbands sacrificed their lives for the country, they volunteered for battle, led by the 107-year-old Mrs. She. The aria of Mrs. She in the opera sounds splendid with strong features of central plains in China, and the impassioned stage performance also displays the charm of Chang School's Yu Opera.

Synopsis
In Northern Song Dynasty, the Qiang army from the west invaded the Northern Song regime. The Song army on the border, led by marshal Yang Wenguang, was encircled. Meng Qiang broke through the encirclement and came back for support. The Ministry of War proposed to reconcile with the enemy but the Yang family proposed to fight. The 107-year-old Mrs. She led 12 widows including her daughters-in-law, daughters and granddaughter-in-law Mu Guiying as well as her great grandson Yang Mantang, altogether five generations, heading for the battlefield. Finally they beat the Qiang army and came back with success.

Lead Cast: Wang Hui
Wang Hui, disciple of the renowned artist of Yu Opera, Chang Xiangyu, is national Class-A performer and the Vice Director of Henan Yu Opera Troupe I. Currently, she also serves as the standing committee member of the 11th Henan Provincial People's Congress, Vice Chairman of Henan Dramatists' Association, and an outstanding expert awarded by the Ministry of Culture, and is entitled to the government special allowance by the State Council. She was awarded the title of "Excellent Artist both in Morality and Capability" by the Publicity Department of Henan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Henan Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles. 　

Wang Hui is reputed for her performance as qingyi and shuaidan (female roles in the opera), and she also shows marvelous skills in playing guimendan (a female role). Her voice is loud and sonorous, and her performance is as exquisite and expressive as her teacher, Chang Xiangyu. Therefore, she is praised as "the promising opera actress of Chang School" and "a young actress outstanding her predecessors".


Learn more from Henan Yu Opera Theatre I: Hua Mulan