The 2025 Chinese Opera Festival co-organised by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government opened on Monday, 8th September, in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province.
Building on past festivals that highlighted the classic role types of Sheng (male), Dan (female), Jing (painted face), and Chou (clown), this year's programme highlights martial arts theatre.
The Festival is ongoing as of press time and will conclude on 20th September.
Where masters perform
The opening performance featured martial arts excerpts presented by six renowned masters of Chinese opera, and 20 martial artists from across China will present ten joint performances throughout the duration of the festival.
These martial performances reflect the dual emphasis on preservation and innovation in traditional Chinese opera.
At the opening ceremony, certificates were awarded to participants selected for the 2025 National Leading Talent Development Programme for Chinese Opera, along with honours for institutions recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism between 2020 and 2024 as Outstanding Opera Production Initiatives.
This year's festival is anchored by five signature programmes: opening and closing ceremonies; a national showcase of opera performers; invitational performances of acclaimed productions; opera symposia, as well as initiatives to preserve endangered opera forms.
It also includes five extension programs: opera exchange and promotion activities; the Watch Opera, Visit Jiangsu cultural tourism campaign; a special exhibition at the Chinese Opera Museum; a traditional opera cultural marketplace; and a digital promotion platform.
Over the course of the festival, 39 performances will be staged, featuring 107 productions from 53 ensembles representing 31 distinct opera traditions.
Performances and activities will be hosted at a variety of venues, including traditional theaters, historic towns, museums, universities, and scenic sites, offering audiences immersive cultural experiences.
Seven years running
Kunshan, the birthplace of Kunqu Opera, the earliest form of Chinese opera, is hosting the festival for a seventh consecutive year.
A new three-year action plan was also launched to guide its future development.
From 2018 to 2024, the festival presented 348 opera genres, including puppetry and shadow theatre, bringing together 494 organizations that staged 295 performances featuring 606 excerpts, while drawing record audiences both in person and online.
