Story of Peking Opera master told onstage

The new original theater production Tan Xinpei (1902-1908) debuted May 5 at the Grand Theater in Beijing's Cultural Palace of Nationalities.

Written by Wang Yongqing and directed by Wang and Yang Zhaoheng, the production tells the story of Tan Xinpei, a master of Peking Opera, focusing on the period from 1902 to 1908.

By presenting Tan's interactions with Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi, the production aims to give a faithful account of Tan's experience, but also reflect the milieu during the last years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Wang categorizes the piece's genre as "free-form theater", which combines different artistic forms, such as Chinese opera, play, dance and music, for different events or characters.

Veteran Peking Opera performers Tan Xiaozeng and Yan Guixiang are artistic advisors for the production, as is Fu Jin, a professor at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts.