Late at night, the National Grand Theater remains lively and festive as the "New Year Music Concert" resonates with classic tunes, heralding the arrival of the New Year's bell in 2024. In the foyer of the Beijing Tianqiao Art Center, a long line forms as Russian artists from the musical "Anna Karenina" sign autographs for the audience, joyously wishing everyone "Happy New Year" in both Russian and Chinese. Meanwhile, at the Drum Tower West Theater, after watching the performance of "A Report of an Ape," the audience stays to celebrate the New Year's Eve with numerous artists through music and dance, penning down their own New Year dreams. On December 31, 2023, hundreds of diverse artistic performances gathered on stages across the capital, echoing New Year wishes in various languages in the city known for its vibrant performing arts. During the New Year holiday in 2024, a total of 268 shows with 807 performances took place in 153 venues throughout the city, accompanying the audience in welcoming the New Year.

New Year themed performances showcase a fresh outlook

On the evening of December 31, 2023, Beijing's iconic cultural brand, the Beijing New Year Concert, returned to the Great Hall of the People. Conductor Tan Lihua and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra jointly presented a splendid audio-visual feast for the capital's audience. Renowned host Zhang Shurong exclaimed, "After a four-year hiatus, the Beijing New Year Concert is back at the majestic, magnificent, and warm Great Hall of the People. The audience is full, and the atmosphere is lively! It's a truly festive feeling!"

"Every year, checking in the New Year at the National Grand Theater is my gift to myself! There are so many great performances this year; I can hardly keep up!" said an excited audience member, Tiantian, holding a stack of performance tickets. Every December 31st, the National Grand Theater rendezvous with the audience for the New Year Concert, and this year was particularly festive. The National Grand Theater, along with the Beijing Art Center and the National Grand Theater Taihu Theater, each played a splendid chapter in welcoming the New Year. After a three-year hiatus, the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra also made a comeback, staging the "2024 Beijing New Year Concert" at the Beijing Poly Theater. The China Railway Art Troupe performed the "Sound of Golden Bells" concert at the Erqi Theater.

The New Year's stage for traditional Chinese opera also witnessed the gathering of renowned troupes and performers. On December 31, 2023, iconic Peking Opera actors such as Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu staged "The Phoenix Returns to Its Nest" at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater. On January 1, 2024, artists including Yuan Huiqin, Li Haiyan, Tian Lei, Li Hongtu, Wei Chunrong, Zhu Qiang, Shao Tianshuai, and others took the stage together for the 2024 New Year Opera Gala at the same venue. At the Jixiang Grand Theater, the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing presented "Colorful Beijing," a New Year Peking Opera concert, featuring performances by renowned artists like Du Zhenjie, Chi Xiaoqiu, and Zhang Huifang. Watching the show with his grandson, dedicated opera fan Lao Guo expressed joy on his face, saying, "In the past, we watched grand operas during the Spring Festival. Now, there are so many excellent performances during the New Year; it's truly a blissful time for opera enthusiasts!"

Exquisite works from China and abroad attract new audiences

During the New Year period, a multitude of high-quality productions graced the stages of major theaters in Beijing, featuring both original masterpieces and international classics. The Capital Theater and the People's Art Theater Studio of the Beijing People's Art Theatre simultaneously presented "Zhang Juzheng" and "Farewell My Concubine," two historical-themed works that uphold tradition while embracing innovation.  At the Beijing Tianqiao Art Center, the closing play of the Lao She Drama Festival, "Camel Xiangzi," and the Russian musical "Anna Karenina" shared the spotlight, creating a brilliant juxtaposition of classic literary adaptations from East and West. The "2023 National Grand Theater Dance Festival" showcased the Maria Pages Dance Group's "Arabian Nights," drawing audiences from both China and abroad. A group of international students from a foreign language institute watched London's West End musical "Once" and the Russian musical "Anna Karenina" at the Tianqiao Art Center. They also planned to attend the musical extravaganza "Reunion" together, expressing their excitement to reporters: "Feeling the festive atmosphere in Beijing and being able to enjoy so many fantastic performances in the theater makes us especially happy!"

On New Year's Day, the Parent-Child Theater provided countless families with wonderful moments. China Children's Art Theatre's Classic Holiday Small Theater presented the healing children's play "The Little Prince." The Beijing Concert Hall, National Library Art Center, and the Tianqiao Art Center's Multipurpose Hall staged the 2024 Beijing Children's New Year Concert, the European children's picture book creative music concert "Little Seal Robin and the Garbage Band," and "Hello! Beethoven." The China Puppet Art Theatre's Cool Theater and the Shunyi District Film and Drama Theater showcased "Cool Big Plan: Leaping to the Rabbit Planet" and "Undersea Small Squad 2: Volcano Adventure," respectively. QFun Theater's Children's Experimental Theater not only performed the Edinburgh Theatre Festival-acclaimed original play "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" at the Nanyang Theater but also organized the first New Year's Eve celebration creatively planned, directed, and performed by children, with the entire event broadcasted live. Children in the theater had a blast showcasing their talents, filling the atmosphere with laughter and joy.

New emotions brought by innovative performing arts spaces

During the holiday season, innovative performing arts spaces continued to thrive, catering to diverse cultural preferences. Fifteen new performing arts spaces, including the Jixiang Grand Theater and the Starry Theater Village nurtured by the Beijing Performing Arts Service Platform project, presented over 50 exciting performances. Immersive shows such as "Miss Julie" at the Starry Theater Village and "Beiping 1948" at the Nanluo Theater took center stage. The environmental music story theater "Love Pub" continued its performances in the Damai New Space. Sanlitun Concert Hall's Art Space hosted immersive romantic atmosphere concerts, traditional Chinese music New Year concerts, and other music performances. Drum Tower West Theater organized an interactive New Year's Eve party, allowing the audience to fully engage and immerse themselves in the celebration. Li Yangduo, Ding Yiteng, Li Tengfei, He Yufan, Jiang Jun, Zhang Lu, and many other theater enthusiasts and ordinary spectators gathered together to play instruments, sing, recite poetry, read scripts, and countdown in a romantic atmosphere, welcoming the New Year. Many attendees expressed that their happiest moments in 2023 were spent in theaters, and their New Year's wish is, "To usher in the next New Year together with our loved ones in the theater!"