For many lovers of traditional Kunqu opera "The Peony Pavilion," a century-old mansion in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming has emerged as a go-to place to enjoy the classical romance.
Since 2018, 39 performances of the opera have been staged in Ma's Courtyard, a Bai ethnic-style mansion built in 1923, and were well-received among opera lovers.
Zheng Siqi, a sophomore at Yunnan University, has seen the performance four times. "Compared with theaters, I believe the very setting of the courtyard can help audiences better understand characters' moods in the opera," Zheng said.
"It used to be a tradition for Chinese families to invite performers to put on operas in their courtyards during family celebrations," said Zheng. "Watching the same opera the way our ancestors did centuries ago invoked a deep sense of national identity."