A 7 pm pick-up from your downtown Beijing hotel marks the start of a culturally enthralling evening. Despite serious competition from more modern forms of entertainment, traditional Chinese performance art in the form of Beijing opera continues to flourish in China, and this evening will give our guests a heightened knowledge of this cultural mainstay of China. An example of opera for the masses that will leave spectators, foreign and local, in awe from the time the curtain is raised until the final applause.

Peking opera is one of the major categories; a traditional Chinese art form that blends legend with music, drama, singing, martial arts, acrobatics and acting into an enticing performance style. Designed to enlighten and entertain the lively and informative exhibitions and performances offer a kaleidoscopic array of cultural and educational experiences.

Dating back to the 18th century at the time the Qing Dynasty flowed through the country, this form of opera was a very popular and highly valued means of entertainment in the courts. The movements, song, dance, display of art and the inclusion of elaborately decorated costumes developed over the years into the art as it exists right now.  With a variety of roles and dedicated performers, each tasked with the part of showing their skills of story-telling, scenes depict stories of ancient Chinese times, folkloric tales in combination with well-choreographed musical support. Music always has taken a very important place in this form of opera. Synchronizing the tunes with the performance, each story and each work of opera will give the audience a more complete understanding of its storyline. All that, and conversations between the performers on stage, completes an evening that one may not forget and will remain with explorers for eternity.