Curious villagers had gathered around, watching the actors and actresses prepare for the performance.

It had been three days since the Wenchang Qiaoxiang Troupe had staged its first Qiongju Opera show in the village.

Public interest was so strong that Chen Zeliang, manager of the troupe, had decided to put on a fourth show.

"We're impressed by the popularity of Qiongju Opera among the local people," Chen said earlier this month.

Chen's troupe comes from Dazhipo Town also near Haikou, which is known as a Qiongju Opera haven.

So far, more than 20 private troupes from all over the province have settled in the town - each stages over 250 shows every year, some up to about 300. They have covered every corner of the province and even traveled to neighboring Guangdong Province.

Qiongju Opera is a favourite of native Hainanese and is regarded as a must on significant occasions like traditional festivals and ceremonies.

As one of the major opera genres in South China, it is prevalent in Hainan and Guangdong provinces, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese communities in Southeast Asia.

With a history of more than 300 years, Qiongju Opera originated during the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was shaped in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The opera has been greatly influenced by a variety of local operas including Cantonese Opera, Minju Opera and Chaoju Opera.

In the Qing Dynasty, Qiongju Opera mainly featured puppet plays which were gradually replaced by human performances.

In the 1920s, Xu Chengzhang, a Qiongju Opera artist, dedicated to the reform and modernization of the traditional art and Xu's efforts resulted in a new opera style, which was closer to real life.

Ever since then, the modern style has been dominating Qiongju Opera.

Like other traditional operas in the country, the Qiongju Opera audience has been shrinking with the growth of pop culture since the 1980s.

To invigorate Qiongju Opera and help troupes expand their fame, the local government of Dazhipo Town held opera carnivals in 1998 and 2001.

The troupes in the town took part in the event and staged their representative works. Entry to the shows was free.

"The welcoming ambience turned Dazhipo into a great magnet attracting more and more troupes and performers," said Chen.

The greatest attraction for the performers are the opportunities they get in front of different audiences.

In addition, most of the troupes have granted many benefits to the performers, in particular the leading roles. For instance, plots and tunes of the repertoires have been particularly tailored to their characteristics.

Many local opera college graduates have flooded to the town, regarding it as the first step of their stage career.

According to Chen, payments fluctuate from about 800 yuan (US$96) for each show during the off season to more than 4,000 yuan (US$483) at peak times.

Troupe managers like Chen never turn down opportunities to perform, no matter if they can make a profit or not.

"Once we aren't on stage we will be neglected by the market and lose the following we rely on to survive," Chen said.

In Dazhipo, every troupe has a staff of about 35 members. In addition to completing all of their shows, they have to refresh their repertoires with at least three new works every year.

The bloom of Qiongju Opera in Dazhipo has drawn increasing attention from other performing institutions in the province.

Qiongju Opera experts have all been impressed by the success of the town in promoting the traditional genre during visits, which have been organized by the provincial cultural department.

"The market-oriented management style is one of the keys bringing the troupes' success," said Zhou Wenzhang, a local official.

"Many of the state-owned troupes or opera houses can learn from their experience."

(China Daily April 10, 2003)