Starry nights on stage

Wang Rongrong, a Peking Opera artist who has been working with Zhu since 1992, is among the star attractions. "This genre of opera has developed over two centuries. Composers have played a key role in keeping the old art form alive by adding contemporary touches," says Wang, who has been working with the theater company for four decades.

"Zhu's music showcases the beauty of each different singing style of Peking Opera. The compositions remarkably involve several traditional Chinese musical instruments including the erhu, bamboo flute and drum," she adds.

Other highlights of the cultural extravaganza include a French concert by soprano Zhang Liping, a crossover performance by pipe organ player Shen Yuan and dancer-choreographer Wang Yabin, and a show by Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre. This is the only professional platform in northern China dedicated to Kunqu, an extant form of Chinese opera with a history of around 600 years and another UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.

Chorale No 2 in B Minor, by Belgian-born French romantic composer Cesar Franck, will be performed during the Shen and Wang Yabin crossover show on Dec 2 to mark the composer's 200th birth anniversary.