Formerly named "Qiyang theatrical troupe", Qi Oprea was called "Qiyang Drama" during the Republic Period and is popular in Hunan's Hengyang, Shaoyang, Lingling, Chenzhou, Huaihua, as well as in other provinces such as northern Guangxi and Guangdong, southern Jiangxi and western Fujian. It utilizes three Zansheng tunes (a kind of tune in Chinese opera), Gao, Tan and Kun, and as many as 1,079 Qupai (the names of the tunes to which "Qu" are composed) ). It is renowned for its high-pitched, resonant and passionate singing style.

The Yonghe School excels at performing Tan tunes while the Baohe School is famous for its Gao tunes. When Gao tunes are performed, the former school uses the male vocal accompaniment; in the latter, suona horns are always used. Both are renowned for their bold, unconstrained and rustic performance style. Qi opera boasts as many as 941 traditional plays, among which the adapted versions of "Zhaojun Comes out of the Frontier" (performed 3 times in Beijing), "Uproar in the Yan Mansion", "Niugao Destroys Imperial Edict", "Visit Sages", "Baogong in Jail" enjoy tremendous popularity. Also popular are the original or adapted modern plays such as "Huanggong's Strategy", "Swallow and Lanlan", "Deliver Food" and "General Songpo".

Qi opera boasts a large number of famous artists, in which Shengjue (the male character types in Chinese operas) includes Hu Dexiao, Li Yuliang, Zhu Wencai, Li Rongzhen, Tang Fuyao, Gui Songmao, Tian Lianlu, Zou Zhenxi and Zheng Wubing. Xiaosheng (the young man's role) includes Yan Yunrui, He Cuifu, Guo Pinwen, Fu Zilin and Tang Qinglan. Danjue (the female lead heroine) includes Liu Fuman, Su Ronglan, Qian Fufang, Xiao Yumei, Ke Kezhu and Lv Shuzhen. Laodan (the old female character type in Chinese operas) includes Liao Jincai. Hualian (the male character in Chinese opera with a painted face) includes Tang Sanxiong, Xia Fuhong, Xiao Pinlong, Zhang Pinchao, Deng Hankui, Yin Fujie, Luo Zhuling and Liu Yude. Choujue (the clown in the Chinese opera) includes Zhou Sanmao, He Sanbao, Li Rongfu, Fei Xiangchen and Wang Saique. Dongshi (another kind of role in Chinese opera, the same as Jiaoshi below) includes Tang Qingchuan, Li Dexuan, Liu Daosheng and Tang Yunqin, and Jiaoshi includes Yi Yueyu.