Opera festival sings for cultural connection

The 12th Xiqu Opera Black Box Festival, which showcases contemporary presentations of traditional Chinese operas, will be held at Star Theaters in Beijing from Oct 22 to Dec 31.

Twenty-one traditional Chinese opera productions by national art troupes, including those from art schools across the country, will be staged. More than 60 shows will cover a variety of traditional Chinese operas, including Peking, Kunqu, Cantonese, and Qinqiang.

To enhance this year's festival, a series of lectures and workshops dedicated to popularizing traditional Chinese opera will offer visitors an opportunity to engage with one of China's most cherished traditional art forms. These activities aim to provide a deeper understanding of the histories, performance styles, and vocal techniques of Chinese opera, allowing audiences to connect with their rich cultural heritage in a more meaningful way.

Small theaters have become trendy venues for young people in urban areas to experience traditional Chinese opera with a contemporary twist — changes to everything from the storytelling method to the music, stage design, and costumes. The Xiqu Opera Black Box Festival is acclaimed for popularizing traditional Chinese operas with smaller productions, breaking from the routine of traditional opera, and allowing creative teams to employ various ways of storytelling.