"The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea" Marks the Reopening Performance at Liyuan Theater
Beijing's first teahouse-style theater, Liyuan Theater, has reopened its doors to welcome both domestic and international audiences to appreciate the quintessence of Chinese culture – Peking Opera.
On stage, the Eight Immortals crossed the sea, each demonstrating their unique powers. In the audience, Chinese and international guests gathered together, while seasoned opera fans sipped freshly brewed tea from covered bowls and enjoyed an assortment of Beijing-style snacks on their tea tables, all while savoring the brilliant Peking Opera performance. On the evening of April 26, Liyuan Theater – Beijing's first teahouse-style theater located inside Qianmen Jianguo Hotel – celebrated its grand reopening with a traditional Peking Opera production, "The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea," performed by the Beijing Jingju Theater Company. This theater, with over thirty years of history and once the top choice for tourists – especially international visitors – to watch Peking Opera in Beijing, has once again opened its doors to welcome friends from all over the world to experience the charm of Beijing's cultural heritage and the art of Peking Opera.
Liyuan Theater was once the premier venue for state leaders and distinguished guests to watch Peking Opera.
In October 1990, Liyuan Theater – Beijing's first teahouse-style theater – was jointly established by the Beijing Jingju Theater Company and Qianmen Jianguo Hotel, and it has been in operation for over 30 years. More than 6 million domestic and international guests have experienced the charm of Peking Opera here. World leaders and many distinguished guests have all enjoyed performances at this venue. In August 2002, the renowned scientist Stephen Hawking also watched a Peking Opera performance of "Havoc in Heaven" here. For tourists visiting Beijing, the classic itinerary of "climbing the Great Wall, eating Peking roast duck, and watching Peking Opera" was once a must-do package, especially for international visitors. Liyuan Theater has long been a signature attraction of Beijing tourism.
On January 23, 2020, after concluding its evening performance, Liyuan Theater temporarily closed its doors. Four years later, the newly renovated Liyuan Theater has reopened, retaining its original style and design. In the performance hall, a plaque bearing the name "Liyuan Theater" hangs high above the stage, flanked by a couplet written by playwright Weng Ouhong and calligraphed by Liu Bingsen, which reads: "Graceful songs and dances celebrate the prosperous era; resounding music and drums shake the capital." The two-tiered auditorium has three ticketed sections with over 900 seats, with the front area featuring square wooden tables where audiences can enjoy a variety of Beijing snacks and fine teas while watching the performance. In the exhibition hall, a permanent display traces the history and development of Peking Opera with bilingual descriptions in Chinese and English. A retail area also offers Peking Opera-themed crafts and souvenirs for purchase.
Among the audience attending the reopening night performance at Liyuan Theater were international visitors from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Norway, and the United States, as well as Chinese students from Hong Kong and Chengdu. "This is our first time watching a live Peking Opera performance. We especially love the experience of sipping tea while watching the show – it feels just like being in an old-fashioned theater!" A group of young students enthusiastically applauded and cheered, imitating the seasoned opera fans around them.
Targeting inbound tourism and study tour markets to welcome both new and returning audiences.
Liyuan Theater also serves as an important platform for the Beijing Jingju Theater Company to support the construction of Beijing as a capital of performing arts. As the resident performance venue for the Beijing Jingju Theater Company, Liyuan Theater once hosted over 360 performances annually, providing a practical training ground for young performers, especially martial arts actors. A large number of young actors have honed their skills and grown through performances at Liyuan Theater, and countless audiences have come to know, understand, and fall in love with Peking Opera through their visits here.
"I remember when Liyuan Theater officially opened in October 1990 – it was an unprecedented success. At that time, our company performed here every day, and almost every show was sold out. Tickets were extremely hard to come by, and we often had to add extra performances." Recalling the theater's heyday, Zhu Jia, Vice President of the Beijing Jingju Theater Company, was filled with vivid memories and deep emotion. Seeing this theater, which carries so many unforgettable memories, restored to its former vibrancy filled him with excitement and joy. "This was once the top choice for international and domestic tourists visiting Beijing to watch Peking Opera. Now that inbound tourism has resumed and Liyuan Theater has been beautifully renovated, the Beijing Jingju Theater Company will continue to partner with Qianmen Jianguo Hotel, as well as sister institutions such as the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater and the Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts, to present long-term resident performances here. This will contribute to the initiative of 'Great Shows in Beijing' and the development of Beijing as a capital of performing arts."
A representative from the marketing department of Qianmen Jianguo Hotel stated that the newly reopened Liyuan Theater will continue to welcome inbound tourists, selecting martial arts dramas and opera excerpts that are popular with both Chinese and international audiences, and providing Chinese and English subtitles during performances. In addition, Liyuan Theater will gradually expand into the domestic study tour market and social education programs. Future plans include collaborating with the Beijing Jingju Theater Company to create an immersive Peking Opera experience center, offering more, better, and more innovative Peking Opera-themed cultural tourism and educational products. "These are the features that set Liyuan Theater apart from other performance venues. We will use more diverse approaches to spread the beauty of Peking Opera art even further."
