Master Class

Battle-hardened opera star Lin Weilin is flying the flag for the ancient military dance art of kunqu. P.Ramakrishnan watches him on the front lines.

WITHOUT THE ELABORATE costumes, layers of makeup and artificial beards that stretch to his belly, Lin Weilin may not be as impressive a sight as he is on stage, but he still has a commanding presence.

With a room full of aspiring artists watching his every move, the kunqu opera master displays military actions in dance - through the story of a hero fighting in a battle - and it is a demonstration that leaves them speechless.

But not for long. Lin, director of the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe, soon puts them through their paces, issuing orders for manoeuvres involving horsewhips, and holding stretches until muscles ache. The Kwai Tsing Theatre, where these budding stars are in the middle of a two-day workshop under Lin's guidance, fills with gasps and groans.

Lin says he hopes the same auditorium will soon be filled with the sighs of an appreciative audience, when he performs such classic sketches as Lu Bu Taming the Horse and The Singing Coach. But he is a realist and says most forms of Chinese opera - even kunqu with its spectacular martial arts routines - are suffering from an image problem among the young.

"Currently, most of our audience is elderly. We need to build up our audience base with time," says Lin, emphasising the need for interaction in the seminars he's done over the years before and after shows and during workshops and university visits.

"Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe tries very hard to bring the art form to campuses," he says. "We hold seminars and demonstrations at Zhejiang University regularly, which also provide opportunities for kunqu beginners to practise and experience the art form. There are some stories of kunqu opera that can be enjoyable to kids even at the age of six, such as The Singing Coach from The Story of the Embroidered Tunic [to be staged in March]," he says.

Lin belongs to the xiu, or fourth, generation of the troupe and is best known as a wusheng (performer of military roles).

As he takes up arms to fight in close combat, with lightning hand and legwork and powerful thrusts of stage weapons, Lin shows the nimbleness that won him the "No.1 Footwork in Jiangnan" title. In 2002, Lin topped the National Kunqu Accreditation Showcase and won the award for promoting the art, jointly presented by Unesco and the Ministry of Culture of China.

Yet, like opera everywhere, kunqu has a niche audience - an older generation patronising a fading art. "It is well-received and being very much appreciated among cultural people," he says. "It is enjoyed by sophisticated audiences. Although it is not widely accepted by the masses, kunqu opera is considered a very important element of Chinese culture."

Lin's stress on sophistication is not coincidental. Kunqu opera was founded before the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) in Kun Shan, Zhejiang province, and has a longer history than Beijing opera. It was performed exclusively for royal or wealthy families, and a literary and lyrical emphasis surpassed military style performances. It also developed into a more gentle musical experience than other styles of opera, such as Cantonese.

Despite fears that globalisation could harm traditional pursuits, Lin says the modernisation he has seen during his 40 years of performance has helped the art form. "China is undergoing rapid economic growth. But people are even more attached to the importance of cultural life, which will be an advantage to the further development of kunqu opera," he says.

Even without the overstated eye makeup, Lin's expressions are sharp and stately and his presence is impossible to ignore. He exudes the energy and strength of a man who has followed a strict martial arts and theatrical training programme all his life.

"I live in exercise," he says. "Performing a military role on stage, I need to practise every day to keep in the best shape. Of course, this is very important to my health also. Artists need to have nice voices as well. To bring to our audience a good show, we need to have our voices and body movements perfectly matched. Usually, kunqu opera artists look younger than their ages. That's why I believe that to learn and perform kunqu opera can be a kind of fitness training."

What does he hope for from the students when they attend the workshop? "They will enjoy it I believe, and ... well, bring your own horsewhip."


Lin Weilin and the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe will perform at the Two Virtuosi in Chinese Opera concert with local star Lee Lung and the Lung Fei Cantonese Opera Troupe on March 25-28, 7.30pm, Kwai Tsing Theatre, Auditorium. Tickets: $100, $220, $300 Urbtix. With Chinese and simplified English surtitles. The Martial Art Routines in Kunqu Opera Workshop (in Putonghua) will be held tomorrow and Sunday, 3pm-5.30pm; and Mon and Tue, 7.30pm-10pm, at the Kwai Tsing Theatre Gallery. Inquiries: 2268 7323