Kunshan Modern Kunqu Opera Theatre (KMKOT) was established last Monday afternoon, adding the first professional Kunqu Opera performing group to the hometown of Kunqu Opera. As China's 8th professional Kunqu Opera troupe, KMKOT is also China's first Kunqu Opera theatre featured by government support and market-based operation.

Ke Jun, famous Kunqu Opera performing artist from Kunshan, Managing Director of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, is KMKOT's chairman and chief operating officer. Li Hongliang, famous Kunqu Opera performing artist from Kunshan, Director of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kunqu Opera Theatre, is KMKOT's vice chairman and admin director. Zhang Jun, famous Kunqu Opera performing artist, winner of UNESCO Artist for Peace, is vice chairman and art director. KMKOT will gradually introduce and foster a number of Kunqu Opera performers and carry out the inheritance and promotion of Kunqu Opera art.

Located in the comprehensive building on Kunshan Citizen Culture Square, the 13,000 sq m KMKOT is made up of a theatre and related rehearsal, demonstration and office spaces. In particular, the theatre covers an area of 8,981 square meters and is equipped with 679 seats, and can accommodate various domestic and overseas opera shows and other professional and mass theatrical performances.

As a state-owned culture enterprise, KMKOT adopts a brand-new market-oriented operation mode and enterprise-based employment mechanism. With such three departments as Kunqu Opera Performing Art, Kunqu Opera Theatre Operation and Kunqu Opera Institute, KMKOT will not only stage routine performances, but also shoulder the tasks of theory research, work creation, talent training, etc.

The elegant fragrance from six centuries ago is sending out a new breath in Kunshan. According to Ke Jun, the establishment of the Kunqu Opera Theatre in the hometown of Kunqu Opera is due to the fact that the local government faces and values its own history, and it signifies that the hometown of Kunqu Opera has taken a step of historical significance on the road of Kunqu Opera renaissance.

In order to protect, inherit and promote Kunqu Opera art, Kunshan has over the years successively set up Kunqu Opera societies and organizations like Kunqu Opera Research Institute, Kunqu Opera Culture Promotion Association, Yufeng Kunqu Opera Society, Kun Yu Tang, etc., resumed Kunshan's tangming (a kind of local folk band) and Kunqu Opera singing without music accompaniment, and let Kunqu Opera education start with children, thus creating a sound atmosphere for the protection and inheritance of Kunqu Opera.

Besides being honored by Ministry of Culture as "Home of Chinese Folk Culture and Art" for four times, Kunshan is also the winner of "Prize for the Promotion of Chinese Kunqu Opera Art" and "Bei Jinmei Prize for Kunqu Opera Education".