Yuan Xuefen’s Yue Opera Creations: Between Tradition and Modernity

This article analyzes the reforms carried out by the outstanding performer Yuan Xuefen in Chinese Yue opera and her reflections on the ways of developing the genre. From the moment Yuan Xuefen debuted as a leading actress in 1936, she acquired profound mastery in performing traditional Yue opera. She recorded the first gramophone record in the history of this opera with a woman in the leading role — Fang Yuniang Weeps at the Pagoda (《方玉娘哭塔》), which received a wide public response. Beginning in 1942, she turned to the search for ways to modernize traditional Yue opera, creating a series of classic characters, including Xianglin Sao (祥林嫂) in the play of the same name and Jidi (季娣) in the performance Love of Mountains and Rivers (《山河恋》). From the standpoint of the 21st century, in her career, Yuan Xuefen did not blindly adhere to established canons. She carried out innovative reforms in the areas of musical melodies, dramaturgy, and stage expression. The article uses a combination of literature analysis and historical narrative methods. The work is divided into three parts: the first part presents Yuan Xuefen's activities in the history of traditional Yue opera; the second part provides a detailed analysis of the reforms she conducted after 1942 to modernize traditional Yue opera; the third part considers the profound influence of her stage work on contemporary Yue opera art. The novelty of this study lies in the systematic integration of Yuan Xuefen's creative path, through which it was possible to identify specific mechanisms for synthesizing traditional elements of Yue opera with innovative approaches of that time in musical accompaniment, dramaturgy, scenography, and acting skills. The article also presents an integrative theoretical model that combines the traditional aesthetic foundations of Yue opera with Yuan Xuefen's innovative reformist approaches. The model demonstrates how the fusion of cultural heritage and innovative solutions in music, dramaturgy, and stage embodiment ensures the sustainable development of the genre and serves as a methodological basis for further research.