China Opera Festival set to run in Shandong

The fourth edition of the China Opera Festival will open in Shandong province on Oct 13, according to a news conference from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Beijing on Friday.

The repertoire of the festival includes 24 selected works, and 48 shows will be staged in seven cities across Shandong, including Jinan, Qingdao, and Yantai. All presented works are newly created or remakes of classic operas completed after 2018.

As this year marks the centennial of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the upcoming opera festival will feature revolutionary themes to recall the glorious path of the Party over the past 100 years.

Realistic productions also play a major role in the festival. Some works feature medical workers' battle against COVID-19, people's efforts to alleviate poverty in rural areas, and the country's achievement in reform and opening-up.

Additionally, some world-famous classics such as Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata will also be staged. Symposia and training programs for opera librettists and critics will be organized for the festival as well.

To benefit the public, ticket prices for all opera shows during the festival will be relatively cheap. The average price for each show will be no more than 100 yuan ($15.5).

China Opera Festival has been held every three years since 2011. The previous three editions were held in Fujian, Hubei and Jiangsu provinces.