Zhang Huoding speaks at a news conference in Beijing, April 23, 2019. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhang is an inheritor of the "Cheng School" of Peking Opera, a performing style founded by Cheng Yanqiu (1904-58), one of the great Peking Opera masters of the 20th century. While Mei Lanfang's "Mei School" is famous for his smooth, moderate and poised style in playing elegant female roles, Cheng style is known for interpreting tragic women with frequent changes in sounds and rhythm.

Though Farewell My Concubine has long been a masterpiece of the Mei School, Wan Ruixing, renowned Peking Opera composer and player of the jinghu (a high-pitched two-stringed fiddle used in Peking Opera), said the Cheng School's sorrowful tunes and slow rhythm also could be a decent interpretation of concubine Yu's tragic fate.

"There are more tragedies in the Cheng School's plays and the character of Yu and her deep sorrow in the legendary story meet very well with the features of the Cheng School," said Wan, who is also responsible for the new play's method of singing tunes.