"Opera is a jewel on the crown of art. It's really hard," said tenor Wu Pan from China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater. He is one of the winners of the 17th Wenhua Performance Award, a top accolade for professional stage productions in China. "Opera singing needs endless practice," he said.

Since joining the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater in 2008, Wu has performed in 25 operas. "Persistence, struggle, enjoyment". Such is Wu Pan in his own eyes.

Born in a small mountainous village in Central China's Henan province, Wu was admitted to the Jiaozuo Normal College with the top scores on bel canto in the city. After years of opera practice, he took on the leading role of the first Chinese comedy opera Xiao Erhei's Marriage and won the Wenhua Performance Award in September.

The groundbreaking Chinese love story, Xiao Erhei's Marriage, is about a young couple in a small village in northern China's Shanxi province, who fight their parents' wishes and pursue true love.

How did Wu Pan stand out as the protagonist in this opera? What are Xiao Erhei's characters? How to portray this role with voice and performance? Check out this exclusive interview with Wu Pan to enter the daily life of an opera singer and the stories behind the opera Xiao Erhei's Marriage.