The Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism, together with the Shanxi Department of Finance, recently launched its 2024 rural opera initiative, which stages free opera performances in rural areas. 

Since its inclusion as a government project in 2017, this initiative has delivered over 100,000 opera performances, thus enriching the cultural lives of rural residents and inspiring creativity among art troupes.

This year, the initiative is set to stage another 10,000 free opera performances in rural areas across the province. The performances are scheduled to coincide with important traditional festivals, holidays, and major celebrations, while also avoiding peak agricultural periods. 

This initiative emphasizes a combination of traditional and new opera works, promoting the inheritance and promotion of Shanxi's opera genres. The performances have been selected according to targeted audience groups, which includes the elderly, women, and children.