Mao Weitao (born 8 August 1962) is a Chinese

Yue opera Yue opera, also known as Shaoxing opera, is the Chinese opera genre. Only Peking opera is more popular nationwide. Originating in Shengzhou, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province in 1906, Yue opera features actresses in male roles as well as femininity ...

actress-singer who usually portrays '' Sheng'' roles (i.e. male characters). 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 Dongfang Bubai, literally "Invincible East", is a fictional character in the wuxia novel ''The Smiling, Proud Wanderer'' by Jin Yong. He is the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult (), an "unorthodox" martial arts sect. In his quest to dominate ...

in the 2001 TV series ''

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''. 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 The China Theatre Association is a subordinate of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC). Founded on July 24, 1949, the organisation was initially named the China National Theatre Workers Association. In 1953, it was renamed the ...

. She was a member of the

7th 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube (algebra), cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion ...

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, 9th,

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, 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 Jack Ma Yun (; born 10 September 1964) is a Chinese business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate. In addition, he co-founded Yunfen ...

and

Song Weiping Song Weiping (), is a Chinese real estate tycoon and billionaire. He is the co-founder and president of Greentown China. Career Song was born in Sheng County, Shaoxing, Zhejiang province in 1958. 1982, he graduated from the Department of Histo ...

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

and

. The company seeks to provide services on theatre administration, play production, international collaboration, art education, theatre talent agency, as well as theatre investment, etc. 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.

Opera roles

References

* * Chinese television actresses Chinese film actresses Yue opera actresses Singers from Zhejiang People from Tongxiang 20th-century Chinese actresses 21st-century Chinese actresses 1962 births Living people 20th-century Chinese women singers 21st-century Chinese women singers Actresses from Jiaxing Musicians from Jiaxing People's Republic of China politicians from Zhejiang Politicians from Jiaxing Male impersonators in Yue opera {{China-actor-stub