 Huangmei Opera, which has a history of more than 200 years, is one of the most famous traditional operas in China. It originated in Huangmei County, Hubei. When brought to Anhui province, Huangmei Opera swiftly thrived in Anqing county and many other neighbor provinces. Now it has grown to be a professional performance both in rural and urban areas, and has become a recreational activity of millions of people.
Huangmei opera was derived from “Caicha Tune”, the folk ditties people sang when picking tea. Performed frequently in villages and towns by small groups of local people, Huangmei Opera grew increasingly popular. It developed from folk tunes to short dramas, and now to complete theatrical works, which can be performed on stage and in TV series.
In the early years, most of the operas were based on  Chinese traditional folk tales. As it flourishes, more and more stories of other opera genres are incorporated. And the talented Huangmei artists even adapted the works of Shakespeare to achieve international development. During the First China Shakespeare Festival (1986), the Anhui Provincial Huangmei Opera Troupe made a hit by presenting an adaptation of Shakespeare's “Much Ado about Nothing”. The milestone marked the success of the international development of Huangmei Opera.
Huangmei Opera earns its name both at home and abroad by its sweet melodies and lyrics, graceful sounds and movements, beautiful costumes and sets. There are numerous  Huangmei fans not only in various parts of Mainland China, but in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and even Europe as well. This elegant traditional opera now is sweeping throughout the world.
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