Best Choice to Enjoy Peking Opera

One thing that foreign tourists who come to China should never miss is Peking Opera, a surreal combination of song, dance, acrobatics, mime and comedy. And if you want to enjoy a wonderful Peking Opera performance, while tasting flavourful local snacks and famous Chinese teas, the Liyuan Theatre is definitely the place you are looking for.

Located in the Qianmen Jianguo Hotel (formerly the Qianmen Hotel, west of the Temple of Heaven and south of the Hepingmen subway station), the Liyuan Theatre is the most prestigious performance venue for Peking Opera. From its traditional stage, to its baxian tables (old fashioned square tables with eight seats) and the unique facial make-up of the actors, everything in the theatre reflects features of old Beijing. The theatre has 1,000 seats and provides English subtitles for foreign tourists. In the sales area outside the stage, tourists can browse a concise historical presentation about Peking Opera and view stage photographs of famous actors and actresses, or they can purchase Peking Opera costumes, masks and musical instruments, Chinese calligraphy, paintings or audio and videotapes.

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. daily. Mostly, the performances feature less dialogue and more martial arts and stunts than the operas designed for Chinese audiences, which makes it easier for first-timers to savour the charm of the art within a brief stay of about two hours.

Before a performance begins, tourists may visit backstage and see the performers' make-up process. Waiters and waitress in Tang-style suits costume (traditional Chinese garments) pour tea for tourists through long-spout teapots while introducing Peking Opera in English.

For eight consecutive years, the Liyuan Theatre has won the "Best Evening Leisure Activity Award," jointly issued by the Beijing Culture Bureau and Tourism Administration. Of the foreign leaders and officials who have visited Beijing, many have left their footprints in this theatre. Each year more than 300,000 visitors visit the Liyuan Theatre to enjoy the spectacle of Peking Opera, making the theatre an important bridge linking Beijing's culture with the world.

 

Address: 175 Yong'an Lu, Xuanwu District

宣武区永安路175号前门建国饭店内

Tel: +86 10 8315 7279