China News Service, Kunshan, September 24 (Reporter Zhong Sheng) The 2026 Opera Hundred Operas (Kunshan) Festival kicked off on the evening of the 23rd in Zhouzhuang, Kunshan, Jiangsu. People will encounter Chinese operas in ancient towns, gardens, neighborhoods, cultural and museum venues, cafes, garden parties, and business districts. The art of opera will be vividly integrated into the urban fabric and people's lives.
Since 2018, the Xiqu Hundred Operas (Kunshan) Festival has been successfully held for 7 times, bringing together 547 troupes, performing 713 plays, 21,400 performers on stage, more than 214,000 live audiences, and more than 355 million online viewers. It has become a benchmark platform for the centralized performance and living inheritance of 348 opera types, puppet plays, and shadow puppets across the country.
This year's Hundred Opera Festival brings together 46 types of operas, 57 excerpts and 10 major operas. It integrates the resources of major theaters in Jiangsu's 13 districts and cities and jointly performs theaters to launch nearly 100 opera performances, presenting three major themes of " The "Baixi +" series of cultural, business and tourism integration activities launches immersive experience projects such as holographic opera shows, AR glasses interaction, and AI digital cultural and tourism short play co-creation, achieving an upgrade from "watching a theater" to "entering the theater" and enhancing the immersive experience.
At the opening ceremony, the country's first AI opera fantasy film "One Play, Hundreds of Plays" was unveiled. In the film, a young man visiting an ancient stage in an ancient water town enters an imaginary world and uses AI to embark on a fantasy journey of searching for a show. Flying over mountains and rivers, walking through Gobi deserts, climbing cliffs... the fantasy world flows, Kun Opera "The Peony Pavilion", Sichuan Opera "The Legend of White Snake", Shao Opera "Three Strikes of Bone Demons", Yue Opera "Butterfly Lovers", Henan Opera "Mu Guiying Takes the Command", etc. flash in sequence, realizing the intelligent generation and artistic integration of cross-opera genres, which is stunning and pleasant, leaving a deep impression on the audience.
Zhouzhuang Ancient Theater has also specially set up the protection and exchange performances of Guichi Nuo Opera, Haimenshan Opera, Shanerhuang and other endangered operas. Yao Yue, an audience member born in the 2000s, said, "I can learn about local folk customs, feel the emotions in the play, and understand artistic expression through the drama. I hope that these endangered dramas can regain new vitality and be seen by more people."
"I was attracted by a performance when I was in junior high school. I am very happy to be able to show Haimenshan Opera to everyone this time." Shi Jiawen, the lead actor in Haimenshan Opera "Peach Picking", said that Haimenshan songs have melodious melody, showing Haimen's customs, rich local accent, and rich local cultural color. I will study diligently and strive to pass it on.
At the opening ceremony, the "China Kun Opera Blue Book 2026" was also released via video, systematically sorting out the practical achievements of Kun Opera development in this century. After the opening ceremony, classic opera excerpts such as Shanxi Opera "Capturing the Leopard", Kun Opera "Lanke Mountain·Crazy Dream", Qin Opera "Ghost Resent·Killing", Peking Opera "Havoc in Heaven" and other classic excerpts were performed on stage, presenting "Liyuan's unique skills and hundreds of operas."
