Ma Lan (born 23 April 1962) is a Chinese performing artist ofHuangmei opera^[1] who usually playsdan (female) roles. Before her abrupt (and unannounced) departure from the stage in 2000, Ma Lan was considered the most popular Huangmei opera performer in the country.^[2] She has won thePlum Blossom Award, theChina TV Golden Eagle Award, and theFlying Apsaras Award, and performed on theCCTV New Year's Gala in 1984, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1997, and 2005. She is often compared to the 1950s/1960s superstarYan Fengying,^[3] whom she movingly portrayed in a hit 1988 TV series.

Ma Lan is married to writerYu Qiuyu. In a 2006 blog post, Yu Qiuyu blamed toxic workplace politics and corruption inAnhui Huangmei Opera Company for his wife's involuntary retirement at age 38.^[4] This post generated fervent discussions.^[5][6]

Ma Lan was born inTaihu County,Anhui, in 1962, and graduated from Anhui Acting Performance School in 1975, where she majored in the performance of Huangmei opera. Succeeding in her debut in 1980, she later created some vivid portrayals of famous characters, such as the artistZhang Yuliang,Jia Baoyu inDream of the Red Chamber, Zhu Yingtai in theButterfly Lovers, Princess Yunhua in theDaughter of the Dragon King,Yan Fengying inYan Fengying, andCui Yingying inRomance of the Western Chamber. In 1987, she won thePlum Blossom Prize, and in 1988, she won theGolden Eagle Award for Best Actress and theFlying Apsaras Award for Outstanding Actress for her portrayal ofYan Fengying. Most of her performances are still considered as among the best examples of the art of Huangmei opera.

Ma Lan received the prestigiousPlum Blossom Award in 1987.

• 1962 births
• Living people
• People from Taihu County
• Actresses from Anhui
• Huangmei opera actresses
• Singers from Anhui
• Chinese television actresses
• 20th-century Chinese actresses
• 20th-century Chinese women singers

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