Setting the stage for a new approach

When audiences watch the latest adaptation of Beijing People's Art Theatre's Returning Home on a Snowy Night, they are introduced to a unique theatrical experience shaped by a minimalist stage design inspired by traditional Chinese opera.

Rather than relying on elaborate realism or cutting-edge technology, the production embraces an abstract, poetic aesthetic that evokes the spiritual depth of traditional Chinese stage craft.

The design captures an ethereal beauty, using soft backdrops that create a dreamlike atmosphere. Flowing, translucent curtains cascade delicately, establishing a light, airy ambiance that invokes a sense of purity and tranquility.

Returning Home on a Snowy Night, originally written in 1942 by playwright Wu Zuguang (1917-2003), was first performed by the theater in 1957. The latest adaptation, which premiered on April 25 at the Capital Theatre, an exclusive performance venue belonging to the Beijing People's Art Theatre, will run until May 11.

The play centers around Wei Liansheng, a renowned Peking Opera actor, and explores his journey through the heights of fame and the depths of despair. At the heart of the tragedy is Wei's ill-fated love affair with Yuchun, the concubine of a powerful bureaucrat, a romance that ultimately leads to their untimely deaths.

"The stage at the Beijing People's Art Theatre is often associated with a sense of weight and gravitas," says Feng Yuanzheng, the veteran actor, director and president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

"We wanted to break away from that impression and infuse the design with a sense of lightness."