PEKING OPERA FESTIVAL

Watching an authentic Peking Opera outside China is a seldom opportunity. It is an art that most people know by name, but have never seen before. Peking Opera is more than just music and singing; it also combines drama, dancing, martial arts and acrobatics, which makes it one of the most multifaceted theatrical forms in the world. In 2010 Peking Opera was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.

The Peking Opera Festival offers a fine selection of original plays accompanied by an introduction to some of the key facts about Peking Opera. Basic background knowledge about the meaning of typical gestures, the abundant make-up and elaborate costumes help the audience understand the fundamentals of this mysterious genre.

Seven celebrated festival editions in different European and American countries gained triumphant reviews, including the 2014 special edition in Russia and the United States to celebrate the 120th birth anniversary of Mei Lanfang. After the successful tour to Switzerland in 2015, Beijing’s most renowned Peking Opera ensemble will perform in 2016 for the first time in Australia. Local audiences can look forward to experiencing some of the most distinguished Peking Opera stars performing in some of the most renowned Peking Opera productions. Related information about performing dates and tickets sales below.

 

TOUR & TICKETS

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2017-5-15 19:30 Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
2017-5-16 19:30 Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
2017-5-19 19:30 Duisburg Theater am Marientor
2017-5-20 16:00 Duisburg Theater am Marientor
2017-5-21 19:30 Staatstheater Kassel
2017-5-24 19:00 Theater am Ring in Saarlouis
2017-5-25 19:00 Theater am Ring in Saarlouis

PRODUCTIONS

Faust

Faust, German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s magnum opus, is not only the greatest work of German literature but also a gem in world literature. The Peking opera Faust is adopted from Faust, Part One.

The Devil, an evil spirit that negates and destructs everything, laughs before God at the flaws of human beings and is confident that he can allure Faust away from righteous pursuits. God, believing that good people are always aware of right paths, permits a bet the Devil makes with him, and agrees on the test of Faust by the Devil. Faust, already in his fifties and already a peerless scholar of learning, is so frustrated at his failure to have fulfilled his worldly desires that he ponder suicide. The Devil comes to Faust’s study, invites him to re-experience his past life and promises to be at his service, on the condition that from the moment Faust has felt satisfied and come to his afterlife, he should serve the Devil too. Believing that nothing in the world would not satisfy him, Faust makes a pact with the Devil. Now turned into a young man by the Devil, Faust is madly in love with Gretchen, only to lead to her tragedy.

Faust

ABOUT PEKING OPERA

Peking Opera consists of various artistic features like singing, music, dance, drama and acrobatics - a combination that makes the performance a unique stage experience. Beautiful costumes, elaborate makeup, enchanting voices and lively combat scenes fascinate the spectator. But in order to understand what the art of Peking Opera really is about, the audience needs some background knowledge. In our section ABOUT PEKING OPERA we will introduce the history of Peking Opera, outline the key facts about the performances and explain the basics about the four main roles types and the stage performers. Read more...

PAST TOURS

Peking Opera Festival 2016

Seven celebrated festival editions in different European and American countries gained triumphant reviews, including the 2014 special edition in Russia and the United States to celebrate the 120th birth anniversary of Mei Lanfang. Read more...

Tour 2016

Theatre de la Geneva: Peking Opera Festival 2015

Cidade das Artes (Rio de Janeiro), SESC Quitadinha (Petropolis), SESC Pinheiros (Sao Paulo). Read more...

Theatre de la Geneva: Peking Opera Festival 2015

The 120th Anniversary of Mei Lanfang (Russia tour + USA tour): Peking Opera Festival 2014

On October 22, 2014, the 120th birth anniversary of Mei Lanfang, the great master of Jingju, will be celebrated. Read more...

The 120th Anniversary of Mei Lanfang (Russia tour + USA tour): Peking Opera Festival 2014

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival Brazil 2013

Cidade das Artes (Rio de Janeiro), SESC Quitadinha (Petropolis), SESC Pinheiros (Sao Paulo). Read more...

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival Brazil 2013

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival Europe 2013

Lucent Danstheater of The Hague, Brucknerhaus Linz, Teatro Piccolo di Milano. Read more...

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival 2013

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival 2012

Reithalle Munich, Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania, Teatro Rendano di Cosenza. Read more...

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing: Peking Opera Festival 2012

National Center for the Performing Arts: Red Cliff 2012

Burgtheater Vienna, National Theater Prague, State Opera Budapest. Read more...

National Center for the Performing Arts: Red Cliff 2012

PARTNER

Producer - Jingju Theater Company of Beijing

Established in the early spring of 1979, the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing is one of the largest and most prestigious Peking Opera performance groups in China. It is directly affiliated to the Beijing Municipal Government and enjoys an incomparable status in domestic opera performance. With a large repertoire of traditional and modern productions, the group has made remarkable achievements inheriting and developing the art of Peking Opera.

The Jingju Theater Company of Beijing has been home to numerous talented performers over the past decades. These performers have included the "Four Famous Dans" (artists who represent or impersonate themselves as female characters) Mei Lanfang, Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu and Xun Huisheng, and the "Five Most Acclaimed Performers" Ma Lianliang, Tan Fuying, Zhang Junqiu, Qiu Shengrong and Zhao Yanxia. The stage manners, artistic accomplishments and schools of performance have helped shape and define today's Jingju Theater Company of Beijing.

Jingju Theater Company of Beijing has staged over three hundreds of classical plays and created more than a dozen of new plays since its founding. Many of them have won top national awards, including "Three Fights with Tao Sanchun" and "Last Touch to Dragon Painting". Today, the most outstanding performers of the troupe have become icons to the troupe's many young followers: Today, the most outstanding performers of the troupe have become icons to the troupe's many young followers: Performers like Tan Xiaozeng, Wang Rongrong and Chi Xiaoqiu all strive to keep learning from their masters Tang Yuanshou, Wang Yurong and Wang Yinqiu – the patriarchs of the Tan-, Zhang- and Cheng-school, respectively.

In China the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing is famous throughout the country for its artistic professionalism and its size. The company nowadays consists of three performing ensembles, the youth troupe, which is designed to prepare young performers, the Mei Lanfang Troupe that is named after the most famous performers of all times, following his performing practices, and the No. 1 Troupe which unites the most popular and acclaimed performers of the whole troupe.

Producer - China National Peking Opera Company

Established in January 1955, China National Peking Opera Company (CNPOC) is a national organization of performing arts directly under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China. The first President of CNPOC was the great master Mei Lanfang. Today CNPOC consists of three performance Troupes, one Stage Art Center and the Mei Lanfang Great Theatre.

Since its founding, the company has brought together a large number of outstanding performing artists and playwrights, directors, composers and stage artists, who enjoy a high reputation both at home and abroad, such as Li Shaochun, Yuan Shihai, Ye Shenlan, Du Jinfang, Ajia, Weng Ouhong and Fan Junhong and others. With a big number of masters, CNPOC has developed into a performing organization of Peking Opera with great advantages.

For 60 years, CNPOC has inherited, created, and staged more than 500 traditional, newly-written historical and contemporary Peking Opera Plays with various themes and forms. Up to now, it has developed an art spirit of inheritance, innovation, adaptions from other artistic forms and well portraying characters. Moreover, it has created an artistic style with rich contents, profound thoughts, various schools, and a well-balanced cast.

More than 50 plays and over 200 members of CNPOC have won awards in national and international performance competitions. In recent years, it has always been on the list of winners of China’s major cultural awards, such as the Splendor Award (for professional theatrical artworks), the Best Works Award, China Peking Opera Festival Gold Award, Works of Excellence on the Nation’s stage, Mei Lanfang Gold Award, Plum Blossom Award and others.

Cultural exchange is one of the major tasks of CNPOC. It has been organizing performances around the world, covering over 50 countries and regions on five continents, and won a good international reputation. Through these activities, CNPOC has made contributions to promote Sino-foreign cultural exchanges as well as enhancing the friendship between Chinese people and the people of the world.

Organizer - Wu Promotion

Founded in Beijing in 1991 by Zezhou Wu and Jiatong Wu, Wu Promotion is one of China's first performing arts promoters and event organizers. Inspired by a deep passion and dedication to music, Wu Promotion strives to enhance cultural exchange by actively promoting the performing arts and capturing the beauty and diversity of the world's culture through unique events.

With offices in China, Europe and the Middle East, its international and creative team organizes more than 500 concerts and events per year in China as well as abroad.

Wu Promotion provides premium services for performing arts, event management, public relations, exhibition and business hospitality.

Our Services
- International performing arts agency
- Promotion and organization of all genres of performing arts worldwide, with special focus on Asia, Europe and Middle East
- Organization of large scale international tours for orchestras, theaters and other professional performing troupes from different countries
- epresentation and promotion of emerging young Chinese artists on the international performing arts platform
- Event management, public and media relations management, and consultation on tourism and business development in China for foreign partners
- Organization of international culture exchange events for amateur troupes, such as choral groups, youth orchestras, government and institution delegations

CONTACT US

Ms. Sherry Zhang
Tel. +86 10 5165 0798 ext. 20
Email: sherry.zhang@wupromotion.com

Ms. Elena Piñuela
Tel. +86 10 5165 0798 ext. 25
Email: elena.pinuela@wupromotion.com

Ms. Ju-Hae Kim
Tel. +86 10 5165 0798 ext. 23
Email: juhae.kim@wupromotion.com

Wu Promotion Co., Ltd.

B702, TYG Center C2 Dongsanhuan Beilu 100027 Beijing, P.R. China

Tel.: +86 10 5165 0798
Email: office@wupromotion.com 

Fax: +86 10 8441 7135
Official Website:www.wupromotion.com

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