Global performing arts come to cinemas

The 10th National Centre for the Performing Arts International Opera Film Exhibition will run from June 6 to Nov 30, celebrating a decade of bringing world-class performing arts to cinema screens and cultural venues across China and beyond.

Jointly organized by the NCPA and China Film Group Corporation, this year's exhibition brings together 25 leading arts institutions from 14 countries. Screenings will be held in cinemas, theaters, and universities both in China and overseas. The opening film, Rodgers & Hammerstein's 80th Anniversary featuring an all-star cast at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane, will be screened on June 6 at the Beijing Performing Arts Centre.

This year's exhibition features 22 productions spanning six artistic categories: opera, musical theater, dance, drama, documentary, and traditional Chinese opera.

The "Opera Classics" section showcases acclaimed productions including Romeo and Juliet and The Flying Dutchman from the NCPA, The Magic Flute from the Royal Ballet and Opera, The Barber of Seville from the Metropolitan Opera, two productions of La Traviata from the Royal Opera House Muscat and Venezuela's Teresa Carreno Theatre, as well as the original Chinese opera The Wilderness from the China Conservatory of Music.

The "Musical Worlds" section features The Count of Monte Cristo from Moscow State Academic Operetta Theatre, presented in a refined version marking the production's 10th anniversary, and the German documentary The Making of a Prima Donna, which explores the lives of three remarkable women at different stages of their artistic journeys.

The "Dance and Drama" section highlights the richness of stage performance. Audiences can enjoy La Fille mal gardee from the Royal Ballet and Opera, Shakespeare's Macbeth starring David Tennant, and the French documentary Tripping with Juliette, which follows Academy Award-winning actress Juliette Binoche on a journey of artistic self-discovery.

The "Splendor of China" section focuses on traditional Chinese performing arts and contemporary interpretations of Chinese stories. Highlights include the 8K panoramic Peking Opera film The Jewelry Purse, directed by Teng Junjie and starring celebrated artist Zhang Huoding, and the Yueju Opera stage film New Dragon Gate Inn, a fresh take on the beloved martial arts classic.

From June 6 to Aug 31, the exhibition will partner with major cinema chains and distributors to screen selected titles in more than 40 cities across China, involving over 100 participating cinemas. Audiences will be able to reserve screenings through a variety of online ticketing platforms, bringing high-quality performing arts experiences to moviegoers nationwide.

From June to November, the NCPA, Beijing Performing Arts Centre, and Taihu Stage Art Center will host 25 curated screenings and related events.

The exhibition will further expand to more than 20 universities across China from September to November, including institutions in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province. Through free screenings and cultural exchange programs, the initiative aims to enrich arts education and cultivate new generations of performing arts audiences.

Over the past decade, the event has become one of China's largest and most influential platforms dedicated to stage-to-screen productions. Since its launch in 2016, the festival has presented more than 100 productions in over 30 cities, organized approximately 4,500 screenings, and reached an audience of more than 350,000 people.