To further promote the development of Beijing as a "City of Performing Arts," make "Watch Outstanding Performances in Beijing" a well-recognized cultural brand, facilitate international exchange and mutual learning among global theatres, and build a high-quality, international, and accessible platform for stage arts on film, the 9^th NCPA International Opera Film Exhibition will be held from July 20^th to November 30^th, 2025. Co-hosted by the NCPA and China Film Group Corporation, this year’s exhibition will take place across the NCPA’s “One Centre, Three Locations”—the NCPA itself, Beijing Performing Arts Centre, and Taihu Stage Art Centre—as well as in over 30 cities nationwide, nearly 100 cinemas and theatres, and more than 20 universities.

A press conference for the 9^th NCPA International Opera Film Exhibition was held on July 8^th at the NCPA. MA Rongguo, Member of CPC Leading Group of the NCPA, Vice President of the NCPA, REN Yue, CPC Committee Member of China Film Group Corporation and Board Secretary and Deputy General Manager of China Film Co., Ltd., renowned singer and President of Tianjin Conservatory of Music WANG Hongwei, and acclaimed director, professor at the Beijing Film Academy, and this year’s selection expert HOU Keming, attended the conference and introduced the planning and highlights of the event.

Since its launching in 2016, the NCPA International Opera Film Exhibition has successfully held eight sessions. As a flagship event under the Beijing Forum for Performing Arts, the exhibition has consistently taken the stage as its foundation and film as its medium, promoting collaboration and dialogue across cultures. More than 30 Chinese and international art institutions and production companies have participated, contributing over 100 outstanding stage art films. To date, the exhibition has toured over 30 cities, more than 100 cinemas, and dozens of universities, holding approximately 3000 screenings and reaching an audience of over 300 thousands.

Themed “Stage in Light and Shadow: Harmonious Coexistence”, the 9^th exhibition is newly curated and significantly upgraded. First, it features a broader variety of genres, with 16 selected films featuring opera, musical theatre, dance drama, drama, Chinese traditional opera, and narrative film. The number of participating institutions has also reached a new high: 17 art institutions from seven countries have been invited, including seven from China — the NCPA, Jiangsu Province Arts Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Dance Theatre Co., Ltd., SMG Pictures, Beijing ATW Culture Media Co., Ltd., Beijing DDDream Culture Co., Ltd., and Beijing Heguan Film & Media Co., Ltd.—as well as ten internationally renowned institutions, including the Teatro Real de Madrid (Spain), Royal Ballet and Opera (UK), Irish National Opera (Republic of Ireland), The Metropolitan Opera House (USA), Moscow Operetta State Academix Theatre (Russia), National Theatre (UK), Barbican Centre (UK), New Victoria Theatre (UK), The Apartment Pictures (Italy), and RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana (Italy). This marks a deeper level of artistic dialogue between Chinese and foreign institutions and advances high-level mutual benefit and exchange.

The 16 featured films of this year’s exhibition are divided into four thematic sections: “Operatic Treasures”, “Musical Realms”, “Theatrical Lights and Shadows” and “Glamour of China”.

The “Operatic Treasures” section includes six world-class operas: Tosca, La Bohème, Les Contes d’Hoffman, Carmen, Don Giovanni, and Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. Opera Tosca, produced by the NCPA, features a top-tier creative team, innovative staging, and a stellar cast, offering a fresh contemporary interpretation of Puccini’s classic—and will have its China’s premiere during the exhibition. The remaining five operas are suggested by the Beijing Forum for Performing Arts, enhancing the exhibition’s international influence while fostering cultural exchange.

The “Musical Realms” section presents three musical theatre films: Anna Karenina, Kiss Me, Kate, and Titanic. Newly introduced to the exhibition, the musical genre spans a wide artistic spectrum—from the timeless literary masterpiece by Leo Tolstoy, to the Broadway classic composed and written by American legend Cole Porter, to a collaborative creation by Oscar and Tony Award winners Peter Stone and Maury Yeston. This section offers audiences a cross-temporal artistic feast and immersive audiovisual experience.

The “Theatrical Lights and Shadows” section includes the biopic Maria, dramas Hamlet and Jane Eyre, and the XR narrative film The Opera! Arias for an Eclipse. In this section, audiences will enjoy immortal stories and legendary portrayals, including on-screen performances by global stars such as Angelina Jolie and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The “Glamour of China” section showcases the opera film Minning Town, the dance drama film Red Radio Over Shanghai, and the Kunqu Opera film The Peony Pavilion. Minning Town centers on the theme of poverty alleviation, incorporating folk music elements such as Ningxia’s “Hua’er” and Northern Shaanxi folk songs. Presented in a traditional Chinese operatic style that blends drama with singing, the film showcases a distinctive regional character—and will have its China’s premiere during the exhibition. Red Radio Over Shanghai and The Peony Pavilion offer audiences glimpses into the power of faith in revolutionary times and the profound love and passion in classical Chinese romances. In this section, audiences will witness moving performances by artists such as WANG Hongwei, XU Jingjing, JIN Zhengjian, WANG Jiajun, ZHU Jiejing, SHAN Wen, and SHI Xiaming.

The extended duration and expansive scope are among this year’s key features. From July to November, the exhibition will span both cinemas and theatres. On the cinema side, the NCPA will collaborate with China Film Group Corporation to present screenings from mid-July through late August in cinemas across the country, including CFG Cinemas, Broadway, Capital Cinema, Lumière Pavilions, and Poly. From July through November, in addition to screenings at the NCPA’s three venues, the exhibition will also reach theatres across various provinces for the first time. Themed events under the title “Stage in Light and Shadow: International Opera Film Month” will include artist lectures, interactive showcases, and masterclasses, integrating art and technology, promoting theatre etiquette, and making the beauty of opera film a part of daily life—delivering artistic enjoyment to audiences nationwide.

With the support of the NCPA Arts Development Foundation and ENN Charitable Foundation, this year’s exhibition will further expand its campus outreach. From September to November, more than 20 universities across China will host a series of public screenings under the theme “Campus Programme of the International Opera Film Exhibition.” Aligning with major national initiatives such as the coordinated development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, cultural support for Tibet Uygur Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Qinghai province, and commemorating the 80^th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War, these events will combine screenings with arts education and theatre etiquette campaigns—enriching aesthetic education and offering students a unique “art-infused civic lesson” to begin the school year.

Since March 2023, China Film Group Corporation has launched an “on-demand screening” model. By segmenting and refining the film market, it aims to meet the diverse preferences of various audiences through tailored content offerings. From July 14^th to August 31^st, 12 of the featured films—including Minning Town, Tosca, Red Radio Over Shanghai, The Peony Pavilion, Les Contes d’Hoffman, Anna Karenina, Kiss Me, Kate, Titanic, Jane Eyre, Hamlet, Maria, and The Opera! Arias for an Eclipse—will be available to audiences in various regions via the China Film Group’s on-demand platform.

On July 20^th, the opening ceremony of the 9^th NCPA International Opera Film Exhibition will be held at the Beijing Performing Arts Centre, with a screening of the musical theatre film Anna Karenina. Through light and shadow, stage and screen converge in harmony. A transcultural artistic journey is about to begin.