Xu Sijia is a National Class Two Performer of the Kunqu Opera Theatre of the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group. She entered the Kunqu Class of Jiangsu Theatre Institute in 1998, and completed her training in 2004, with her specialism in guimendan (high-born lady) and zhengdan (female lead) roles. Xu was the winner of the Rookie Award and Performance Award in the first Zijin Awards for Peking Opera and Kun Opera, a Gold Award - Adult Section of the ‘Red Prunus Cup’ for Traditional Theatre, a Bronze Award at the Adult Section of the ‘Six Provnces and One City of Eastern China’ Tournament of the of the ‘Yilishen Cup’ All China Chinese Opera Showcase, another Performance Award at the All China Kunqu Showcase for Young Actors, and the Drama Award of the first Huang Xiaoci Drama Awards.
Xu trained under Gong Yinlei, Hu Jinfang, Liang Guyin and Xu Yunxiu. In 2013, she became a formal disciple of Hu Jinfang, famous virtuoso artist in Kunqu and winner of the coveted ‘Plum Blossom Award’ for Chinese Theatre.
Xu is recognized for her portrayals of many classics in Kunju, such as Du Liniang in Peony Pavilion, Madam Cui in Zhu Maichen Divorces His Wife, Lady Yang in The Palace of Eternal Life, the White Snake in On Broken Bridge, Li Guizhi in The Horse Dealer’s Daughter, and other major roles in The Peach Blossom Fan – 1699, A Dream in Fantasia, The Nanke Dream, Blossoms on a Spring Moonlit Night, and The Mandala Flower, a Kunju adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
