Han opera and Chu opera

汉剧·楚剧 · hàn jù · chǔ jù

Wuhan's own opera, Han opera, is the 400-year-old parent of Peking opera — its melodies travelled north with Hubei troupes in 1790. Chu opera is the earthier village cousin.

Han opera (汉剧) uses the 'pihuang' tunes that Peking opera later adopted. Its master Chen Bohua was the great Republican-era star; the Han Opera Theatre in Wuhan still performs weekly.

Chu opera (楚剧) grew from tea-house folk songs around Huangpi and Xiaogan, with plots about mothers-in-law and clever daughters. Lively, funny and easier for beginners.

Both are on China's national intangible heritage list. Performances are cheap (¥30–80) and audiences chat, eat sunflower seeds and shout 好！ at high notes.