The grand finale of the 2025 Yangtze River Arts Festival “Dynamic Yangtze” Stage Art Exhibition—the classic modern Peking opera “The Red Lantern” and the “Peking Opera Masters and Famous Arias Concert,” presented by the National Peking Opera Company, will be performed for two consecutive nights on October 24 and 25 at the Wuhan Hongshan Auditorium. These two Peking opera feasts will bring a perfect conclusion to the “Dynamic Yangtze” Stage Art Exhibition, which has lasted for over a month.

On the evening of October 24, the Peking opera “The Red Lantern” will take the stage first. This classic work, created in the 1960s, is set in a city in Northeast China during the War of Resistance Against Japan. It tells the story of three generations—railway switchman and Communist Party member Li Yuhe, his mother Granny Li, and his daughter Li Tiemei—who engage in a life-and-death struggle with the Japanese invaders to protect and deliver a secret code to the Baishan guerrilla forces.

Famous arias from the opera, such as “Recounting the Revolutionary Family History,” “My Family Has Countless Uncles,” and “I Will Not Leave the Battlefield Until All the Jackals Are Defeated,” are widely beloved. They vividly portray the revolutionaries’ firm beliefs and noble integrity, retaining their powerful artistic impact to this day.

On the evening of the 25th, the “Peking Opera Masters and Famous Arias Concert” will follow. This concert brings together elite artists from three generations of the National Peking Opera Company. The performance carefully selects classic arias from the Four Great Dan Schools (Mei, Shang, Cheng, and Xun), as well as highlights from modern Peking operas like “Azalea Mountain,” “Shajiabang,” and “Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.” It also includes essential excerpts from traditional classics such as “Executing Chen Shimei,” “The Ruse of the Empty City,” and “The Legend of Lady Yang.” It is truly a condensed feast of Peking opera art.

Since its opening on September 13, the 2025 Yangtze River Arts Festival “Dynamic Yangtze” Stage Art Exhibition has continuously provided high-quality performances for the citizens of Wuhan. The two outstanding performances by the National Peking Opera Company will add the most brilliant colors of traditional Chinese culture to Wuhan’s autumn stage.

Yangtze River Arts Festival

The Yangtze River Arts Festival is a major cultural event held along the Yangtze River basin in China, celebrating the region’s rich artistic heritage. It was established to promote cultural exchange and showcase a diverse program of music, dance, theater, and visual arts. The festival highlights both traditional and contemporary works, drawing inspiration from the long history and communities connected to China’s longest river.

The Red Lantern

“The Red Lantern” is a renowned cultural site in Beijing, China, historically known as a traditional courtyard house that operated as an upscale brothel during the late Qing Dynasty. It gained fame through the 1991 film “Raise the Red Lantern,” which depicted the complex social hierarchies and lives of concubines in early 20th-century China. Today, it serves as a museum and tourist attraction, offering insights into China’s feudal customs and architectural heritage.

Wuhan Hongshan Auditorium

The Wuhan Hongshan Auditorium is a prominent cultural landmark in Wuhan, China, originally constructed in the 1950s. It has long served as a major venue for political conferences, cultural performances, and public events. Over the decades, it has witnessed significant historical moments in the city’s development.

National Peking Opera Company

The National Peking Opera Company is China’s premier institution for the traditional art form of Peking opera, founded in 1955. It was established by the government to preserve, research, and perform this UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage, which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. The company continues to stage classic and new works, playing a vital role in promoting this iconic Chinese cultural art both domestically and internationally.

Azalea Mountain

Azalea Mountain is a scenic area renowned for its vibrant azalea blooms, particularly during spring. While specific historical details are limited, it is celebrated in Chinese culture and referenced in the revolutionary opera “Azalea Mountain,” which depicts its role as a Communist base during the 1927 Autumn Harvest Uprising. Today, it symbolizes natural beauty intertwined with cultural and historical significance.

Shajiabang

Shajiabang is a famous wetland scenic area in Jiangsu Province, China, renowned for its reeds and waterways. It gained historical significance as a key revolutionary base during the Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, where communist guerrillas used the vast reed marshes for cover. Today, it is a popular tourist destination celebrated for its natural beauty and its role in modern Chinese revolutionary history.

Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy

“Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy” is a revolutionary model opera from China’s Cultural Revolution era (1966-1976). It tells the story of a People’s Liberation Army scout who infiltrates a bandit stronghold on Tiger Mountain. The opera was one of the eight state-approved works during this period, promoting communist ideology and heroism.

Executing Chen Shimei

“Executing Chen Shimei” is a famous story from Chinese opera, not a physical place. It is a classic tale from the traditional Beijing opera repertoire that tells the story of a scholar, Chen Shimei, who is executed for abandoning his wife and children after achieving success. The story serves as a moral lesson on loyalty, justice, and the consequences of betrayal.