The Renowned Peking Opera Performer Mei Baojiu Has Died at 82

Mei Baojiu, one of the foremost performers of China’s famous Peking opera, died on Monday aged 82, according to Chinese state media.

Mei died around 11 a.m. local time at a hospital in Beijing after going into a coma following a bronchial spasm, state-run news agency Xinhua quoted his theater company as saying. He had reportedly been hospitalized for nearly a month.

The renowned artist furthered the “Mei school” of opera pioneered by his father, legendary Peking opera artiste Mei Lanfang. He was best-known for his portrayal of female characters in famous plays like The Drunken Beauty and Farewell My Concubine.

Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.

Please enter a valid email address.

Sign Up Now

Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME.

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Thank you!

For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com.