Quick thinking is also an indispensable part of Xu's work as a costume artist. His colleague once forgot to bring the chaoban prop, a tablet held by officials when having an audience with the emperor. As the show was only minutes from starting, Xu quickly improvised a paper clipboard of the same shape as a substitute.

It was not until two years ago that Xu started to learn costume design from scratch. His new assignment from the troupe was to present at least 30 sets of costumes for the full-length version of the Kunqu Opera classic "The Palace of Eternal Youth."

"It was really a big challenge for me to get involved in this highly anticipated show as a costume designer," Xu said. "I had no previous design experience but fortunately I was familiar with the play and its characters from my former singing experience and when I had visited the clothing factory with my teachers."

Since the story involves luxurious imperial lives in ancient China, Xu didn't want his garments to appear too plain and traditional.

He made a bold attempt to change concubine Yang Yuhuan's skirt from white in the play's earlier incarnations to red after she was killed in the show. Yang's body in a long red dress in the touching scene with Emperor Tang had a greater impact on the audience and drove the play to its climax.

"Female ghosts are frequently depicted with long hair in a white dress on the theater stage," Xu explained. "But my understanding is of the concubine as a magnificent beauty who can't be that normal after death."

The show's debut last year was a huge success, receiving wide acclaim not only for its acting but also for the compelling stage scenes and costumes. The protagonists' garments, in the eyes of many loyal Kunqu Opera fans, looked young and innovative.

Shanghai Kunqu Opera House now plans to spend another 800,000 yuan (US$117,890) on making new garments and Xu is engaged in drawing sketches and contacting veteran embroiderers.

Like much traditional theater, embroidery, a folk art with a history of more than 3,000 years, is also in decline with a decrease in the number of apprentices.

"Suzhou (in Zhejiang Province) is a regional center for embroidery art," Xu said. "It usually takes a veteran embroiderer half a year to finish a complicated imperial robe. It's also very expensive.

"A garment like this costs about 8,000-10,000 yuan. But it's worth it. The garments made with traditional techniques can last more than 100 performances over 20 years."

Xu just makes small adjustments to some of the traditional costume designs. But he modifies aspects to cater for modern tastes, like colors so they are not too heavy or flowery and patterns so they are not too complex.

Xu is optimistic about the future of Kunqu Opera which is recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

"Over past years, we have promoted the art form among all the local colleges," Xu said. "We showed young people not only the singing skills of the opera, but also its behind-the-scenes culture and stories. Many students had unforgettable experiences dressing up in Kunqu Opera costumes which might help them build a deeper connection with the art."

Though Xu's career went in another direction after he gave up singing on stage, he gets a great sense of accomplishment from his second choice opera role. He adamantly believes that the strong future of Kunqu Opera lies not merely in sustaining its unique vocal arrangements, but also its costume and scenery traditions.