Culture beat: 80 shows to invigorate performance season

Photo: Courtesy of Poly Theatres

In February 2024, more than 80 performances will be presented across eight Poly Theatres in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province.

The lineup includes rich regional performances such as Peking Opera, Pingju Opera, Hebei Bangzi Opera and Yuju Opera. Additionally, international performances like the Russian national ballet dance, Irish tap dance and Tianjin People's Art Theatre plays will grace the stage.

As culture has become an essential part of people's lives, enjoying traditional Chinese performances like Peking Opera and shadow puppetry have gradually become a staple during the Chinese Lunar New Year. 

In addition, the performance season event has specially invited numerous theaters to gather at the Zhongshan Park Music Hall in Beijing to deliver a continuous feast of traditional culture to the people.

Renowned for its vocal skills, complete character roles, diverse designs, and exquisite craftsmanship, the 400-year-old Tangshan Shadow Puppetry is one of the most influential types of Chinese shadow puppetry, often described by audiences at home and abroad as a magical and lightning-fast art. 

On the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 16, the Tangshan Shadow Puppet Troupe will present the mythological shadow puppet play Journey to the West: Huoyan Mountain for Beijing audiences.

Listening to Peking Opera and appreciating traditional Chinese art has become an indispensable part of Chinese New Year celebrations for Beijing residents.

Zhu Jia, vice president of the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre, explained that "collaboration between the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre and Zhongshan Park Music Hall for the Chinese New Year's Day Peking Opera Gala has been ongoing for 15 years."

In 2024, on the first day of Chinese New Year, February 10, a gala will be headlined by the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre to showcase the unique artistic charm of various opera styles and present a magnificent and colorful national cultural event for audiences.