English surtitles and live Chinese instrumental music introduce Sydney audiences to a classic regional Chinese opera
SYDNEY, Australia, 12 October 2026 - Wuxi Xiju Opera Theatre marks its first visit to Australia with the Australian premiere of Pearl Pagoda at Tom Mann Theatre in Sydney on 10 October 2026.
The production featured English surtitles and live accompaniment on traditional Chinese instruments. Together with the performers' singing and movement, the music introduced audiences to Xiju, a regional form of Chinese opera associated with Wuxi in eastern China.
Pearl Pagoda follows Fang Qing, a young scholar whose family has fallen on hard times. When he seeks help from his aunt, she mocks his poverty. His cousin Chen Cui'e secretly gives him a pearl pagoda to help him. He later returns after succeeding in the imperial examinations, confronting the aunt's prejudice. The story explores dignity, loyalty and the way wealth can shape how people treat one another.
The Sydney performance followed earlier overseas stagings of Pearl Pagoda in Singapore in 2004 and Austria and Italy in 2025, bringing the theatre's international performance journey to Australia for the first time.
According to the theatre, Pearl Pagoda has been performed for more than six decades. Wang Ziyu led the Sydney cast as Fang Qing, the young scholar at the centre of the story, alongside fellow lead performer Cai Yu.
"As a Xiju performer, I am proud to bring this work to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. It is a responsibility to carry forward this art form," said Wang Ziyu, who played Fang Qing in the Sydney production. "Fang Qing's determination in the face of hardship gives audiences a way to connect with the story. I hope that connection encourages Australian audiences to discover Xiju."
"We wanted people coming to Xiju for the first time to be able to follow the story and hear its music performed live. For audiences unfamiliar with this form of opera, the sound of traditional Chinese instruments offers another way to discover it, while the English surtitles help them follow the characters' choices," Cristina Chen, Director, Hangzhou Easy Conference & Exhibition Co., Ltd., said.
The Sydney performance drew a full house of 156, according to the organisers.
"The live music and expressive performances brought the story's humour and emotion to life. Bringing Xiju to Sydney gives Australian audiences an opportunity to experience Chinese performing arts and connect with the stories they tell," Zhu Yanlong, president of the Australia Ballad Singer Association Incorporated, said.
At the close of the performance, the cast returned for repeated curtain calls as applause continued for several minutes.
