All the city's a stage for Chinese New Year

To celebrate Spring Festival, Beijing is staging a performance season titled "Spring Festival Melodies", which will invigorate the city from January to March.

The season is marked by an eclectic assortment of performances across diverse genres, ranging from dramas and traditional Chinese operas to puppet shows and orchestral concerts. Among these are more than 90 performances citywide of 25 skillfully crafted theatrical productions that fuse cultural richness with modern creativity.

One highlight of the season is Li Pei, a contemporary work of Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre that portrays the life of the revered applied linguist. The comedic foray by Mahua FunAge into the realm of Guangdong's martial arts culture with its musical Wing Chun, and the National Theatre of China's Love, Chekhov a dramatic adaptation of three of Anton Chekhov's classic comedies, will also grace the stage during this period.

The National Peking Opera Company is presenting illustrious operas including The General and the Premier and Xie Yaohuan alongside other timeless classics. These offerings are certain to resonate with aficionados of traditional Chinese opera. While the Beijing Symphony Orchestra is presenting a Chinese concert featuring celebratory New Year tunes that is sure to enliven the festive spirit in the audience.

Children and families can entertain their imaginations with the China National Theatre for Children's play The Cat God in the Forbidden City, while the puppetry artistry of the China Puppet Art Theatre will bring to life the beloved myth The True and False Monkey Kings. While Little Gods on the Central Axis, presented by the Beijing Children's Art Theatre, provides a novel perspective on the city's historic Central Axis through the innocent eyes of a child.

Showcasing both domestic talent and international virtuosity, the colorful palette of performances is intended to cater to varied artistic tastes, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The season is packed with splendid performances, including local adaptations and internationally inspired productions, guaranteeing a multifaceted cultural feast that paints a vivid portrait of global artistic cooperation and cultural celebration during this festive season.

On the domestic front, the shadow play Havoc in Heaven from Tangshan, Hebei province, uses traditional art to depict a classic myth. The poignant drama Start of Autumn from Shanxi province illustrates the rise and fall of Shanxi merchants over the past centuries, while White Deer Plain, highlights the rich history of Shaanxi province. Internationally, the St. Petersburg Tchaikovsky Ballet Theatre's rendition of Swan Lake and the Vienna Waltz Orchestra's Spring Festival Concert promises to bridge cultural divides.

During the Spring Festival holiday, spanning from Jan 28 to Feb 4, 2,736 performances of 353 theatrical productions will be staged citywide, including the vintage Peking Opera work Prosperity Brought by the Dragon and the Phoenix, presented by Jingju Theater Company of Beijing at Chang'an Grand Theater; and a concert by Beijing Symphony Orchestra at Forbidden City Concert Hall of Beijing.