YoungCha

Chen Lijun helping with the preparations of the gift bags for her fans: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc5Vun9xJBa/

Today is first day of filming.

Chen Lijun at Production launch ceremony at Hengdian
https://www.sina.cn/news/detail/5339746663923877.html
https://www.sina.cn/news/detail/5339783142310210.html
Lijun's fans at Hengdian https://k.sina.com.cn/article_1526202781_m5af8019d03301hopm.html

Other cast members with Chinese Opera background:
Ren Xiaolei (Kitchen Lady) Qinqang actress and artistic director for Youth Experimental Troupe at the Research Centre
Tong Chao (Zhou Cunren) Qinqiang actor plays Laosheng roles
He Lin (Qiu Cunyi) former Qinqiang actor current Qinqiang director
Jiao Ruixia (Teacher Li) veteran artist of Mei Wan Qiang, famous for Dan roles.
Shao Laowu (Guo Chuizi) Qinqiang actor specialising Chou (Clown) roles)

The singing for Yi Qin'e in the show is provided by Li Min, one of the four Famous Dans of Qinqiang.
https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_33836420

A lot of the cast have Chinese Opera background so they've would have likely done the singing themselves.
Hai Lu has trained in Peking Opera
Peng Xinyun (Gong Lili's actress) works as Qinqiang director, her mum is Li Mei who was the show Chief Opera Consultant.
Jin Zi (Song Yu) has trained in Chinese Opera
Chu Jiamin (Zhou Yuzhi) formally trained in Qinqiang
Su Fanyi (Shen Yun) Qinqiang actress at Shaanxi Opera Research Centre aka the provincial troupe
Zhang Yifan (Liu Ke) Qinqiang actor specialising in Wen Wu Sheng
Li Yisheng (Xue Guisheng) father is a Qinqiang actor, doesn't mention whether he had any formal training in Qinqiang though.

Chen Lijun's current project: Romance of the Western Chamber Yue Opera Youth Production as part of 120 years anniversary celebration of Yue Opera. Lijun will play Zhang Gong, female leads are unannounced. There's no confirmation of premiere date but it will most likely be in January of next year and will to go on tour soon after.

Info from the web

Filming to begin on 5th of September
The leads for drama are said to be Chen Lijun and Wei Zheming, it's not officially confirmed by production team. (It's highly likely to be Lijun as she has the three characters of Zhu Gu Niang on her phone case (source from 陈丽君光影笔记) Is this Lijun confirming the role? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
Said to be 32 episodes, the original novel has 4M words which there's will parts from the novel will be cut.

The cast is quite inexperienced so their acting isn't the best of the three female leads, Stephanie' is probably the best. Desta has a few issues, her speech isn't too natural in some parts but in general she's pretty good but Jinny's acting is very obviously bad, her delivery of lines seems forced like she just reciting it from the script. (I've never watched any of her other dramas)

See link to video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMDED8WgLUY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rr5BsZtWJc

Other complaints are:

That Stephanie doesn't look old enough to be the grandmother in the drama, the 舅公 looks more like Lesley's husband.

Stephanie is 53 - Ka Bing, ?
Jinny is 34 - Lesley, 37
Desta is 26 - Tong Sum, 18

Jiahe's family definitely weren't poor since they work for the government Chu Jiahe was singing in a nightclub when her parents could get her an arts related government job or help get her into the entertainment industry without the need of her performing at a night club.

Another was with Chu Jiahe's friend Zhou Yuzhi when she was caught by Jiahe being the one behind Qin E rumours, she said that if she loses her place at the provincial troupe she has to return to her village and she made it sound like it was the end of the world but in the earlier episode it said that her parents pulled strings for her and Jiahe to join the provincial troupe, I assume her parents also work for the government and know people connected to the provincial troupe surely they could help her find something to do

Qinqiang Excerpt List if anyone is interested.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CC7vG6jYL_mKWfkpw2kI3ukYn4fJxEJ4GLKpIUWA0i0/edit?usp=sharing

I think that the actual opera singing is done by an professional Qinqiang opera singer rather the actress herself like most other shows that involve professional singing.

Chinese Opera make-up varies from genre to genre, there ones with very strong makeup like Peking Opera and Cantonese Opera while there are ones which are more subtle and natural looking like Yue Opera.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/61xm_OQAgkn3qh0zxq5DhG0LFJCM0khI-DymTlYBEglQix3AVVTmgYI1Ukurc_VYd57xfl_fgTPlP1SD - Yue Opera performers make-up

Chinese Opera particularly Yue Opera has been gaining popularity due to Chen Lijun a video from her performance of Jia Ting in New Dragon Gate Inn 新龍門客棧 going viral on social media.

I went to a Chinese Opera performance in London and Hong Kong, both sold quite well the latter I think got all of the tickets sold.

Chen Lijun surely earns quite a lot, her shows gets sold out immediately, had acted in a major film, has perform at the spring festival not sure if it similar to what big name film and tv actors make.

Apparently this is a comedy, it didn't feel like a comedy at all

Chen Lijun had 11 days to learn and shoot the scenes, it happened during the middle of her national tour with her troupe. She puts a lot of effort into everything that she does, there are some that questioning about the recasting and re-shooting but Lijun never disappoint.

She's quite popular domestically, overseas I can't say the same. (Same with Li Yunxiao)

Chen Lijun had 11 days to learn and shoot the scenes, it happened during the middle of her national tour with her troupe. She quiet popular domestically but overseas I can't say too much, if you want to know more about I recommend watching 乘风2024.

The Cast - From Douban

Wu Jing - Dao Ma
Nicholas Tse - Di Ting
Yu Shi (Yosh) - Shu
Chen Lijun - Ayuya
Sun Yizhou - Zhi Shi Lang
Cisha - He Yixuan
Li Yunxiao - Yanzi Niang
Tony Leung - Lao Mo
Zhang Jin (Max) - Shuang Tao She
Kara Wai - Yuchi Dai Niang
Zhang Yi - Pei Shiju
Jet Li - Chang Guiren
Liu Yaowen - Pei Xingyan
Xiong Jinyi - Ah Ni
Ju Qianlang - Xiao Qi
Bai Narisu - Ah Luo Han
Liang Biying - Wei Zhi
Wen Junhui - Yuji Niu Luo
Dong Sicheng (WinWin) - Dai Lai
Lin Qiunan - Xiao Lai
Jing Ci - Peiwu Mi Er
Zhang Yilong - Wu Lu Lu
Li Jiahui - Lin Rang
Kou Zhanwen -Yi Zhan Deng
Dai Lele - Shopkeeper's wife
Shi Yanneng - Du Yan Long
Xu Xiangdong - Feng Sanye
Chunyu Shanshan - Chief of the Peiwu tribe
Meng Hetang - Chen Shijiu
Yu Rongguang - One of the six masters

Tong Liya and Xiao Yuliang are listed as part of the cast on Baidu

Yeah Nashi got replaced, they had to reshoot the parts with the FL

This will be Chen Lijun third film and Li Yunxiao debut film, Yunxiao has acted in a TV drama last year but they both are Yue Opera actors.

She is in the trailer at least three times at 0:27, 0:33, 0:52 and 0:56, she's the one who says 擅动刀兵者 and 死.

Chen Lijun will play the female lead Ayuya along with her troupe-mate/stage partner Li Yunxiao who play Yan Zi Niang

I pretty much watched it for Chen Lijun, I didn't know what to expect since it was my first time watching a show like this and pretty much didn't know many of the contestants but I really enjoyed the performances and the interactions between the sisters.