Witness Madame White Snake: An opera troupe fights eviction in Shanghai
An opera singer fights to keep her community together when her theatre in Shanghai is slated for demolition. Zhou Guixiang is the leader of a dilapidated opera theatre in one of Shanghai’s last remaining informal housing settlements. Having endured dwindling audiences and soaring rent for decades, Zhou and her troupe have refused to follow the fate of similar cultural spaces in the city. But when authorities order the theatre demolished to make way for redevelopment, Zhou and her troupe are given one month to leave the premises. The opera is more than just a way of life for the residents. It’s home to a community of marginalised ageing artists struggling for space in a rapidly modernising city. Madame White Snake by Daniel Patrick Holmes & Vivi Zhu
An inspiring documentary series that brings world issues into focus through compelling human stories.
Primary Title
- Witness
Episode Title
- Madame White Snake: An opera troupe fights eviction in Shanghai
Date Broadcast
- Tuesday 17 January 2023
Start Time
- 08 : 00
Finish Time
- 09 : 00
Duration
- 60:00
Channel
- Al Jazeera English
Broadcaster
- Al Jazeera Media Network
Programme Description
- An inspiring documentary series that brings world issues into focus through compelling human stories.
Episode Description
- An opera singer fights to keep her community together when her theatre in Shanghai is slated for demolition. Zhou Guixiang is the leader of a dilapidated opera theatre in one of Shanghai’s last remaining informal housing settlements. Having endured dwindling audiences and soaring rent for decades, Zhou and her troupe have refused to follow the fate of similar cultural spaces in the city. But when authorities order the theatre demolished to make way for redevelopment, Zhou and her troupe are given one month to leave the premises. The opera is more than just a way of life for the residents. It’s home to a community of marginalised ageing artists struggling for space in a rapidly modernising city. Madame White Snake by Daniel Patrick Holmes & Vivi Zhu
Classification
- Not Classified
Owning Collection
- Chapman Archive
Broadcast Platform
- Television
Languages
- English
Captions
Live Broadcast
- No
Rights Statement
- Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Contributors
- Daniel Patrick Holmes (Producer)
- Vivi Zhu (Producer)
- Omma Films (Production Unit)