The classic flower-and-drum opera, Yaobang returns to his hometown, has been performed more than 40 times in Hunan and Jiangxi. [Photo by He Wenbing/icswb.com]

Changsha, which is already recognized as an UNESCO Creative City for its burgeoning media arts industry, is once again making more strides to getting global recognition for its local culture and art industries.

The first act was when on Dec 28, the 2017 Changsha Azalea Art Festival kicked off to great aplomb, by attracting locals to feast with their eyes on the 12 major cultural and art events that were going to be held.

The classic flower-and-drum opera, Yaobang returns to his hometown, which has already received great critical acclaim from past attendees, as The Meixihu International Culture and Art Centre sold out on Jan 9, 2018 to a full crowd of budding theatre connoisseurs.

The opera has steadily become one of the top attractions at the Changsha flower-and-drum opera preservation center in 2017, and is now a staple performance in most shows. Last year, the opera was performed 40 times in the provinces of Hunan and Jiangxi alone, a testament to its popularity and quality.

In addition to the art performances, the Azalea Art Festival also serves as a platform for the public to display their talents. Many locals were able to show off their talents in dancing, singing and other folk arts in front of a captivated audience.

A tenorist performs a solo during the 2017 Changsha Azalea Art Festival. [Photo by He Wenbing/icswb.com]

Another noteworthy highlight was the fifth Changsha films for charity event which opened on Nov 1 2017 and lasted for around a month, attracting over 100,000 people, with a total of 83 cinemas offered free seats for over 680 film shows, that were worth a total of 4 million yuan ($624,804).

In recent years, Changsha has been a dedicated builder and supporter of the modern public cultural service system, by providing financial incentives for social participation. The city currently aims to explore and utilize more cultural resources, to make itself a hub of intercultural innovation.

Residents have expressed vocally on how the rich cultural resources provided by the city have positively affected their quality of life, as Tang Qing a local of Changsha exclaimed "I feel happy in this city, where cultural performances and shows are staged all year round."

Source: Changsha Evening News