Lou says as he ascended the ranks of opera performers and become more well-known, he became a lot more self-critical and picky about his work.

"Once you obtain higher titles and honors, you need to be more responsible for your audience," he says.

"Opera is art that is created on location, so you need to be creative to attract more people."

One critic called Lou "the most creative, attractive and explosive actor in the young men's roles". In May, he won the 30th annual Plum Performance Award, the highest award for theater and drama artists in China.

"I'm just lucky to be honored with the title," Lou said after being announced the winner. "I stand on the shoulders of those outstanding Wuju artists before me, and the honor belongs to our whole troupe.

"Each character I play is profound, and I treasure every chance to play onstage as an actor.

"With the support from government and efforts of artists like us, I believe traditional culture like Wuju Opera will become popular among the young."