Join us for an evening celebrating the legacy, acquisition, and digitization of the Hua Wenyi Collection at the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive. Hua Wenyi (1941–2022) was one of the most influential Kunqu opera performers of her generation. Born and trained in Shanghai, she rose to prominence as a leading dan (refined female-role) performer and later served as the director of the Shanghai Kun Opera Company. After relocating to California in 1989, she co-founded the Hua Kun Research Institute in Los Angeles with Susan Pertel Jain, through which they organized performances, workshops, and lectures that introduced Kunqu aesthetics to wide audiences. Recognized nationally for her contributions, Hua Wenyi received the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1997.
Kunqu opera is the classical opera of China that emerged in the 16th century and remains one of the most enduring classical theatrical traditions in the world. In 2001, it was designated a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Hua Wenyi’s artistry and teaching brought this centuries-old tradition into contemporary cultural life, shaping generations of performers and scholars. Her collaborations with avant-garde American theater director Peter Sellars further expanded Kunqu’s visibility and influence. As Sellars told the Los Angeles Times on first seeing Hua Wenyi perform, “That was one of the most profound performances of my lifetime. Hua Wenyi has the most powerful eyes of anyone in Chinese opera.”
This gathering celebrates the donation of Hua Wenyi’s personal materials to the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive, where her legacy will be preserved for future generations. Parts of the collection have been digitized and are available online, open-access, on California Revealed. The program includes remarks from her daughter, Jane Xue; reflections from artistic collaborators Bohan Ye, Liyun Hou, Peter Sellars, and Susan Pertel Jain; and performances by members of the Kunqu Opera Society USA and UCLA Kunqu students directed by Chi Li. Through conversation, performance, and archival presentation, the evening honors Hua Wenyi’s life, her teaching, and her enduring artistic spirit.
This event is sponsored by the UCLA Ethnomusicology Archive and the UCLA Asia Pacific Center.