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Where Can I See Kun Opera?

Kunqu Opera has high artistic value and viewing value. When you come to China, it's a good idea to go to theaters to experience Kunqu Opera to improve your knowledge of Chinese Kunqu Opera. I'd like to introduce some comfortable Kunqu Opera theaters to you.

Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre

In 2020, the Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre welcomed guests in all its splendor. After several years of waiting, this third-largest theater complex in China, designed by the international architect Christian de Portzamparc, finally emerged in the Wujiang Taihu New Town, which is in the core area of the Yangtze River Delta integration. The Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre in Wujiang Taihu is the core part of the Suzhou Bay Cultural Center and it has an opera hall that can accommodate 1,600 people, a drama hall with 600 seats, and more than ten rehearsal halls, which have held various large literary and artistic performance activities.

Location: No. 12,000, East Taihu Avenue, Wujiang District, Suzhou
Show time: 9:00 - 17:00
Ticket fee: 60 yuan or more
How to get there: Take Bus Line 716 and get off at Kaiping Road
Parking: Pay parking available

Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre of Jiangsu

The predecessor of the Jiangsu Suzhou Kun Opera Theatre was the Shanghai Minfeng Suzhou Opera Troupe, which was established in 1951 as a folk professional troupe and settled in Suzhou in 1953. In order to further prosper the opera cause and better develop the Suzhou Opera and Kun Opera that originated in Suzhou, it was officially approved as a state-owned troupe in October 1956 and named the Jiangsu Suzhou-Kun Opera Troupe. In 2001, the troupe was rebuilt into a theater and renamed the Jiangsu Suzhou Kun Opera Theatre. The Kun Opera Garden Live-action Version of "Wandering in the Garden and the Interrupted Dream" created by the Jiangsu Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre was staged at the century-old Suzhou Kun Opera Training Institute. Combining modern art, lighting and music, it allows the audience to experience the beauty of Kun Opera in an immersive performance.

Location: No. 9, Guochangqiao Road, Gusu District, Suzhou
Show time: 9:00 - 22:00
Ticket fee: CNY 50 - 230
How to get there: Take Subway Line 4 and get off at Beisita Station, Exit 5
Parking: Pay parking available

The Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre

The Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, founded in 1957 and located in Beijing, China, is one of the professional Kunqu Opera performing art groups in China. Over the past 50 years, the theatre has taken protecting, developing and innovating the art of Kunqu Opera as its fundamental purpose. It has newly created a large number of excellent traditional operas, newly arranged historical operas and modern-theme operas that are famous both at home and abroad, and has won several new opera awards. It has also cultivated a group of outstanding professional Kunqu Opera actors who have influence both at home and overseas. You can watch the performances of various Kunqu Opera plays in this theatre.

Location: No. 112, Nanyuan Road, Fengtai District, Beijing
Show time: 19:30
Ticket fee: CNY 100、180、280 for different seats
How to get there: Take Subway Line 8 and get off at Heyi Station, Exit B
Parking: Pay parking available

Zhengyici Theater

The Zhengyici Theater, with a history of more than 300 years, is made of pure wood structure. It is one of the relatively well-preserved Qing Dynasty buildings in China and also one of the most famous theaters in China. Mei Lanfang, the master of the Peking Opera, performed there before. Now it has become the theater of the Northern Kun Opera Theatre, where Kun Opera performances are held, as well as concerts and modern dance shows.

Location: No. 220, Xiheyan, Xicheng District, Beijing
Show time: 10:00 - 22:00
Ticket fee: CNY 580、1280 for different seats
How to get there: Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Hepingmen Station, Exit C1
Parking: Pay parking available

Shanghai Grand Theater

The exterior facade of the Shanghai Grand Theater is composed of glass and marble, combining modernity and ethnic style. At night, when illuminated by light, the light curtain formed by the combination of the crystal facade and roof and the reflection of the water in the fountain makes the whole building transform into a crystal palace. The main hall of the Shanghai Grand Theater mainly uses gold and red as the main colors and mainly stages large-scale performances such as operas, symphonies, ballets, and dramas. The auditorium is about 1,000 square meters, spacious and comfortable enough. The overall design, the architectural structure and the decoration are all in line with the requirements of architectural acoustics. It adopts Meyer Sound speakers and surround sound to provide a good experience.

Location: No. 300, Renmin Avenue, Huangpu District, Shanghai
Show time: 19:30
Ticket fee: 100 yuan or more
How to get there: Take Subway Line 1 or 2 and get off at People’s Square or West Nanjing Road Station, Exit 11, 2
Parking: Pay parking available

By Mia Li
Web Editor

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