Opening tradition up to today

Highlights include the Peking Opera production by students of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, Er Chou, which is adapted from The Government Inspector, the Russian comedy by Nikolay Gogol, and Cantonese Opera production The Imperial Decree, produced by the Xiqu Center at the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong.

"The most appealing thing about staging traditional Chinese operas at smaller theaters is that it breaks the routine of traditional opera, and the creative team is able to employ a different way of storytelling, including flashbacks and interposed narration," says Lyu Jia, director of the Kunqu Opera production, Jin Shengtan, which will also be staged during the festival.

It follows the story of Jin Shengtan, a prominent literary critic, essayist during the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

"We used absurdist techniques to portray Jin Shengtan, weaving divergent thinking that transcends time and space through multiple layers of dreams," the director says. "Sharp, dark humor will be combined with the storytelling, immersing the audience in intense emotions."

Zhou Long, artistic director of the festival's organizing committee, says: "Traditional Chinese operas are ancient and highly stylized. We want to present traditional Chinese opera artists, who are trying to break the frame of old art forms, to present new and creative productions."