In the golden autumn of September, Beijing's theater scene is vibrant and diverse. The National Centre for the Performing Arts International Theater Festival, the Beijing People's Art Theater International Drama Invitational Exhibition, the 17th Beijing Fringe Festival, the 2nd International Monodrama Festival, and the 2024 British Theater Live Festival, among others, are all set to open. These theater festivals and performance seasons bring a succession of excellent productions from both China and abroad to the stage, showcasing the dazzling charm of this capital of performing arts.
The new era of theater masterpieces plays to full houses
On the evening of September 3rd, the "Grand Stage in Beijing" 2024 Performance Season opened at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Over the course of two months, more than 50 literary and art troupes and performance organizations will present and screen 114 top-notch productions in over 40 theaters and new performance spaces.
On opening night, the classic play “Beijing Fayuan Si” was brilliantly staged as the opening show, with all three tiers of seating fully packed. At the end of the performance, thunderous applause filled the venue, and the extended five-minute curtain call left the entire theater immersed in emotion.
At the same time, the "In Step with the Times, in Tune with the People" — Exhibition of Outstanding Stage Art Works from the New Era is also being held in Beijing. Forty outstanding stage productions from across the country are being showcased in succession.
At the National Theater of China, performers from the Xizang Autonomous Region Song and Dance Troupe sang and danced to tell the heartfelt story of two generations quietly tending livestock and guarding the nation's borders in the ethnic song and dance drama “The Gesang Flower at the Horizon”. On the Central Opera House stage, Jin Dong led the China Coal Mine Art Troupe and Shaanxi People's Art Theater in a performance of the play “Going Rural”, which explores genuine emotions and reflections on the process of rural revitalization through a contemporary aesthetic lens.
World-class theater productions draw crowds
This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, and the 60th anniversary of relations between China and France. A series of international cultural events have taken place in Beijing, with a lineup of world-class performances taking the stage.
Last week, the five-hour Russian drama “War and Peace” captivated audiences at the Poly Theatre. Many performers and art troupes eagerly purchased tickets, attending as a group to observe and learn. At the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, the original French musical “Notre Dame de Paris” ran for three weeks, with packed audiences at every performance. The curtain call often sparked a full-house sing-along. These two major international shows drew numerous out-of-town spectators, many arriving with suitcases in hand, and some even returned to watch them multiple times.
At the press conference for the Beijing People's Art Theater International Drama Invitational Exhibition, Feng Yuanzheng, director of the Beijing People's Art Theater, announced that this year, the "Capital Theater Premium Productions Invitational Exhibition" has officially been upgraded and renamed the "Beijing People's Art Theater International Drama Invitational Exhibition." From October 11 to November 10, six major sections featuring over 40 exciting events will be held across four venues—Capital Theater, Cao Yu Theater, Renyi Small Theater, and Juyin Theater. Nine top domestic and international plays have been invited to the Beijing People's Art Theater stage, with seven of them making their debut in front of Beijing audiences. Notably, Georgia's “The Seagull” and Russia's “The Master and Margarita” will be performing in China for the first time.
Distinctive small theater productions with big ambitions
On September 5th, with blessings from hosts including Pu Cunxin, Luo Jinlin, Sato Nobu, Ren Dongsheng and Li Yangduo, the second International Monodrama Festival kicked off at the Drum Tower West Theater. Over the coming weeks, 13 productions from China, Greece, Denmark, and other countries and regions will be performed in 46 shows, along with 9 monodrama short plays and 9 monodrama dialogue events, showcasing the unique charm of this art form in various formats.
On the evening of September 6th, the Chinese-French shadow puppet play “Starfish” premiered at the Nanluoguxiang Theater as the opening performance of the 7th Beijing International Puppet Festival. The following morning, a “Starfish” creation seminar was held by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, where experts from various fields shared their insights and offered suggestions for the development of shadow puppet theater. The swift transition from premiere to discussion amazed the French artists. From September 6 to October 6, 28 productions from 11 countries will be performed in 51 shows, with 9 screenings and 3 expert-led workshops to be held throughout Beijing.
Former Secretary-General of the Beijing Theatre Association, Yang Qianwu, stated: "Although shadow puppet and monodrama art forms may seem niche, they offer vast creative potential and have produced many outstanding works that are highly popular internationally. Therefore, Beijing should take the lead in fostering international exchanges, promoting local shadow puppet and monodrama arts, and encouraging innovation. By providing a large platform for these uniquely distinctive small theater productions, we can showcase Beijing's diversity and broad vision as a capital of performing arts."
Fresh and innovative youth creations
On September 4th, following the opening performance “It’s Time To Get Old!” at the 2024 Beijing Fringe Festival, many audience members shared their enthusiastic recommendations on social media. This non-fiction documentary theater piece, created by young director Wang Guanghao, skillfully blends interview transcripts from a senior football team with elements of video games popular among young people. Its creative ingenuity earned high praise from the audience.
This year, the festival will present 15 outstanding works by young creators and 30 exciting performances, offering a wide variety of themes and distinctive styles, providing audiences with a fresh and innovative theater experience.
The inaugural Peiyuan Arts Festival is one of the few festivals in China that emphasizes a creative incubation function. The festival received 435 submissions from 321 authors across 67 cities nationwide. After multiple rounds of selection, including an initial review, online re-evaluation, and in-person defense, 23 works were selected for creative incubation, and 20 uniquely styled works will ultimately be showcased on the festival's stage. From September 20 to 22, the 2024 Peiyuan Arts Festival will host 54 events across 3 venues and 6 spaces in Beijing. The original play “Alley-oop” by Huaju Jiu Ren will premiere as the opening performance at the Erqi Theater.
One remarkable production after another, along with various theater festivals, has filled venues and performance spaces across Beijing, creating a city-wide cultural atmosphere and offering audiences a diverse artistic experience. This not only enriches Beijing's performing arts market but also continues to enhance the city's reputation as a top destination for theater, further strengthening its influence in the international performing arts scene.
Translator: NIU Lihua
Reviewer: JIANG Yuanqin
