Zhang Jun, officially ranked as one of the leading performing artists in China today, was designated in 2011 as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in recognition of his long-term commitment to promoting the art of Kunqu opera, a masterpiece of the "Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001. Regarded as the "Prince of Kunqu", Zhang specializes in the young-man role type. He has performed leading roles in such well-known operas as Peony Pavilion, Palace of Eternal Youth and The Jade Hairpin. Among his numerous acting awards is the Meihua (Plum Flower) Award, China's most distinguished honour in the performing arts.

 

Zhang, a native of Shanghai, received his undergraduate degree in 2000 from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and his Master of Fine Arts in 2008 from Shanghai Theatre Academy. A student of Kunqu since the age of twelve, he has served as a professional Kunqu actor in the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe for eighteen years.

Apart from his achievements as a performing artist, Zhang has devoted himself to introducing the Kunqu operatic tradition to audiences, in particular to young people, throughout China and abroad. Since 1998, he has organized over 400 interactive performances that focus on young audiences and has lectured in high schools and universities in both China and the West. In his effort to promote the art of Kunqu, he has worked with a number of performing artists in different fields, including the musician Tan Dun, the conductor Muhai Tang, the Japanese Kabuki actor Ichikawa Emiya, the British Violinist Charlie Siem, the Chinese-American pop singer Leehom Wong and American Jazz master Bobby McFerrin. Zhang has also played the leading role in Tan Dun’s opera Marco Polo, which was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award.

 

 

Kunqu Opera
In the history of Chinese Drama, one of the major milestones was the development of Kunqu opera. Regarded as the "Mother of Chinese Operas," Kunqu is a 600-year-old theatre that uniquely blends poetic eloquence, musical refinement and dramatics and deeply influences all the other forms of Chinese drama. It is the first and foremost Chinese performing art and was proclaimed by UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001 for its outstanding value.