The 2024 Beijing People’s Art Theatre International Drama Invitation Exhibition officially kicked off recently at the Beijing International Theater Center’s Yanyi Theatre.
This month-long event features 40 performances across eight venues, including the Capital Theatre, Cao Yu Theatre, Yanyi Theatre, and Juyin Theatre. Attendees can expect to enjoy an array of nine outstanding plays from five different countries and regions, organized into six major segments.
At the opening ceremony, Feng Yuanzheng, the president of the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, shared insights about the exhibition. He emphasized the theme “Borders” and expressed a desire to convey the idea that “art knows no borders.” Feng highlighted the theatre’s commitment to welcoming every artist and audience member attending the invitation exhibition with an open heart.
Ekaterina Slepesheva, vice president of the Russian National Drama Theatre (Alexandrinsky Theatre), and Zhang Huiqing, general manager and deputy secretary of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, represented their respective institutions at the opening remarks. Both expressed their excitement about returning as “old friends” to the exhibition, reflecting on the bonds of friendship that the event fosters.
The opening night featured performances of “Zero Prayers” by the Russian National Drama Theatre and the complete version of “Dream of the Red Chamber” by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center. Both pieces are adaptations of renowned literary masterpieces: “Zero Prayers” draws from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel “The Gambler,” while “Dream of the Red Chamber” is based on the classic work by Cao Xueqin. These adaptations offered unique interpretations of the original texts through the lens of two countries’ theatrical styles.
In the upcoming weeks, audiences can look forward to a variety of productions, including “The Trickster” from the Comédie-Française, “Hide and Seek” by the Macau Xiaojiao Drama Research Society, “The Seagull” from the Tbilisi Vaso Abashidze State Drama Theatre, “The Master and Margarita” from the St. Petersburg Master Theatre, “By the Sea” from the National Theatre of Côte d’Ivoire, and other collaborative works. Notably, the Lithuanian theater master Eimuntas Nekrošius’ “Faust” and the adaptation of the Oscar-winning film “Parasite” by Bong Joon-ho will also be presented.
On October 18 and 19, the China Dramatists Association and Beijing People’s Art Theatre will jointly host the “New Horizons in Drama: International Theater Exchange Seminar,” featuring four thematic speeches and three roundtable discussions. This event aims to gather theater professionals from China, France, Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Italy, and regions like Hong Kong and Macau to explore the future of theatrical art and establish a platform for high-quality international collaboration.
Additionally, the exhibition will extend beyond performances with exhibitions, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in various art forms. Highlights include the “60th Anniversary of China-France Diplomatic Relations: Special Exhibition of Comédie-Française Performances” and a high-definition screening of French theatrical works. Visitors will also have the chance to explore “A Journey into the Comédie-Française” through a photography exhibition showcasing the rich history of France’s oldest national theatre, which boasts over 300 years of tradition.
Furthermore, the “10th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition” will invite audiences to reflect on the achievements and memorable moments of the invitation exhibition over the past decade.
