Mao Weitao

Mao Weitao
Mao Weitao Máo Wēitāo
Traditional	茅威濤
Simplified	茅威涛
Born	August 8, 1962; Tongxiang, Zhejiang, China
Genres	Yue opera
Years active	1983–present
Associated acts	Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe

Mao Weitao (born 8 August 1962) is a Chinese Yue opera actress-singer who usually portrays Sheng roles (i.e. male characters).[1] A founding member of the acclaimed Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe who also served as its president from 1999 to 2018, Mao Weitao is a household name among Yue opera listeners. For non-opera listeners, she is best known for her portrayal of Dongfang Bubai in the 2001 TV series Laughing in the Wind.

Mao Weitao is one of only 4 people who have won the Plum Blossom Grand Prize, given to those who continue to be active and innovative in theatre or opera after winning the Plum Blossom Prize twice. She is also the vice-chairperson of China Theatre Association. She was a member of the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th National People's Congress.

For years Mao Weitao has taken steps to "modernize" Yue opera. She has recently secured investment from billionaires Jack Ma and Song Weiping to realize some of her more ambitious plans regarding Yue opera.

Early life

Career

From 1999 to 2018 she has been the president of Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, with which she debuted in 1984.

Reform

Baiyue Cultural Creativity

In 2018, Mao Weitao quit her position in the Xiaobaihua Troupe to become chairwoman of Baiyue Cultural Creativity Co., which was registered in 2016 with the investment of Zhejiang billionaires Jack Ma and Song Weiping. The company seeks to provide services on theatre administration, play production, international collaboration, art education, theatre talent agency, as well as theatre investment, etc.[2][3]

One of Baiyue's first projects was the construction of China Yue Theatre (中国越·剧场) in Hangzhou in 2018, whose state-of-art, butterfly-shaped complex was designed by C. Y. Lee.[4]

Opera roles

English Title	Original Title	Role	Notes
Dream of the Red Chamber	紅樓夢	Jia Baoyu
He Wenxiu	何文秀	He Wenxiu
Five Daughters Offering Felicitations	五女拜壽	Zou Shilong	made into a 1984 film
Tang Bohu Fails the Imperial Examination	唐伯虎落第	Tang Bohu	made into a 1988 film
Peacock Flies Southeast	孔雀東南飛	Jiao Zhongqing
Butterfly Lovers	梁山伯與祝英台	Liang Shanbo	made into a 2013 film
Romance of the Western Chamber	西廂記	Zhang Junrui	made into a 2010 film
Rouge	胭脂	Wu Nandai
The Peach Blossom Fan	桃花扇	Hou Fangyu
Lu You and Tang Wan	陸游與唐婉	Lu You	made into a 1989 film
The Desert Prince	沙漠王子	Luolan
Sorrows in the Han Palace	漢宮怨	Emperor Xuan of Han
Cold Friendship	寒情	Jing Ke
Kong Yiji	孔乙己	Kong Yiji	made into a 1998 TV series
The Tale of Ancient Book Collector	藏書之家	Fan Rong
The Moon's Reflection on the Second Spring	二泉映月	Abing
The Good Person of Jiangnan	江南好人	Shen Dai Sui Da
Coriolanus and Du Liniang	寇流蘭與杜麗娘	Coriolanus
Chunhyangjeon	春香傳	Yi Monglong
Li Qingzhao	李清照	Zhao Mingcheng	made into a 2010 TV series

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References

Zhou, Raymond (2013-07-04). "Mao Weitao: Superstar of Yue Opera". Women of China.
"Alibaba is in Collaboration with Performer Mao Weitao on Theatre Investment". Lotus Lee Foundation. 2018-05-31.
Baiyue Culture Creative (2018-04-04). "Baiyue Culture Creative held "Butterfly - 2018" Press Conference".
Zhang Mei (张玫) (2018-09-25). "中秋夜"大蝴蝶"亮了茅威涛希望中国越·剧场像悉尼歌剧院一样成为文化地标" ["The Big Butterfly" Shines on Mid-Autumn Night: Mao Weitao Places Hope on China Yue Theatre to Become a Cultural Landmark Like the Sydney Opera House]. Youth Times (in Chinese).

"Yue opera artist Mao Weitao". China Central Television. 2009-06-23.
"Mao Weitao and her Reform of Yue Opera". China Radio International. 2016-04-21.
"Mao Weitao and Her Yueju Opera Dream". China Radio International. 2004-09-22.

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[1] Zhou, Raymond (2013-07-04). "Mao Weitao: Superstar of Yue Opera". Women of China.

[2] "Alibaba is in Collaboration with Performer Mao Weitao on Theatre Investment". Lotus Lee Foundation. 2018-05-31.

[3] Baiyue Culture Creative (2018-04-04). "Baiyue Culture Creative held "Butterfly - 2018" Press Conference".

[4] Zhang Mei (张玫) (2018-09-25). "中秋夜"大蝴蝶"亮了茅威涛希望中国越·剧场像悉尼歌剧院一样成为文化地标" ["The Big Butterfly" Shines on Mid-Autumn Night: Mao Weitao Places Hope on China Yue Theatre to Become a Cultural Landmark Like the Sydney Opera House]. Youth Times (in Chinese).