As red lanterns are hung and the sound of gongs and drums fills the air, the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse approaches. This festive season, Shandong province is enriching the traditional holiday atmosphere across the Qilu region with a series of vibrant cultural performances. Art institutions at all levels have meticulously prepared over 3,000 shows, ranging from grand urban theaters to small rural squares and from classic operas to short plays, ensuring the celebrations are both lively and culturally significant.
A diverse array of art forms will be showcased. During the Spring Festival period, art units across the province will organize various regular theater and public welfare performances, both online and offline, featuring rich and diverse content. The province will host more than 2,000 public welfare performances and approximately 1,100 regular theater shows, covering multiple art forms such as musicals, dance dramas, traditional Chinese opera, modern plays, acrobatics, immersive theater, and shadow puppetry.
Major theaters in the province and cities continue to offer high-standard, high-quality performances. The Shandong Song and Dance Theater's 2026 Shandong New Year Folk Music Concert, conducted by Wen Fengchao, principal conductor of the China National Song and Dance Ensemble, will bring together 80 top artists from different generations. Centered around the theme "String Music Greets Spring, Music Enriches China," the concert will present a magnificent New Year tribute on a splendid stage. From February 17 to February 21, the theater will host immersive performances at Shandong Mansion for the 2026 New Year celebration.
The Shandong Liuzi Opera Art Protection and Inheritance Center (Shandong Liuzi Opera Troupe) is bringing classic Liuzi opera and Shandong Bangzi performances to commercial districts, with activities continuing until February 21. Additionally, the Lantern Festival opera gala organized by the troupe will skillfully integrate various art forms, presenting new expressions of traditional opera and fully showcasing the artistic achievements of Shandong at provincial, municipal, and county levels.
The Shandong Peking Opera Theater will perform classic Peking operas such as "The Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Prosperity," "The Phoenix Returns to Its Nest," and "The Red-Maned Steed" at the Fang Rongxiang Grand Theater from February 17 to 21. The Shandong Lü Opera Theater will host a New Year concert of classic Lü opera pieces at the Jinan Baihua Drama Art Space on February 17. From February 22 to 23, immersive performances of classic Lü operas, including "The Hidden Marriage" and "Borrowing the New Year," will be staged. From February 24 to 28, the troupe will visit urban and rural communities, as well as rural markets in cities like Jinan and Tai'an. The Shandong Acrobatics Troupe will perform "Chasing Dreams" at its performance hall from February 22 to 23.
Public welfare performances during the Spring Festival are equally diverse and vibrant. Various cities in Shandong are prioritizing the needs of the people, delivering high-quality cultural resources directly to communities.
On February 17, the first day of the lunar new year, the Jinan Opera and Quyi Center will host a special Spring Festival opera performance at the Jinan Cultural Center. From February 17 to 23, the Zibo Wuyin Opera Art Inheritance and Protection Center and the Zibo Performing Arts Center will bring the "Wuyin Opera, Celebrating the New Year Together" event to scenic spots. Shouguang City will organize a New Year concert featuring famous Peking opera artists and classic excerpts. The Jining Art Theater will perform the immersive play "Seeing Li Bai Again" at the Taibai Tower. Tai'an City will host the "Dragon and Horse Spirit, Trendy Xintai" 2026 New Year cultural performance event.
Community-based short play performances and broadcasts are also abundant. During the Spring Festival, artists will use concise, life-oriented short plays to focus on contemporary themes and new social trends. Through tours and broadcasts, these performances will promote mainstream values and enrich cultural offerings at the grassroots level.
Xuecheng District in Zaozhuang has launched a cultural benefit short play exhibition, covering seven towns and streets with over 20 touring performances. The programs include Liuqin opera, excerpts from Yu opera, and original content incorporating "Xuecheng elements," with themes such as rural revitalization and intangible cultural heritage protection. Binzhou hosted a provincial short play demonstration performance, featuring works like Heze's Liangjiaxi opera "The Rooster's Birthday" and Laixi's Peking opera "Family Maxims." Shandong Bangzi's "Braving Challenges to Assume Office" was selected for the National Short Play and Sketch Exhibition. An online exhibition of short plays promoting social customs reform has also been launched, with works such as Jiaozhou's Bajiaogu "The Gift of Meeting" and Maoqiang sketch "Changing Careers" being broadcast on online platforms to reach a wider audience.
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