We hear the voice of Liu Sanjie from the wings first. The legendary folk singer is an iconic figure in the storytelling of the Zhuang people, the largest minority in China, who mostly live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. Known as the Song Fairy, her voice immediately lifts the spirits of the Zhuang villagers depicted on stage. From her first appearance, Liu Sanjie, played here by Jiang Ning, is a shining beacon of hope, almost always smiling no matter what happens around her until the dramatic events at the end of the opera.

Jiang Ning. Photograph © Jiang Changgeng

The story of Liu Sanjie has been adapted many times over the years, becoming particularly famous thanks to the popular 1961 musical film Liu Sanjie (or the Third Sister Liu), which featured a number of Chinese folk songs. In July last year, an opera called Liu Sanjie based on that film premiered at the Beijing National Centre for Performing Arts. Written by female classical Chinese composer Lei Lei, a concert version of the opera is now being presented in Australia by Ausfeng Event Productions. Entitled Legend of the Chinese Song...