Shanghai to showcase Plum Blossom theater award winners

The inaugural Showcase of Outstanding Repertoires by China Theatre Plum Blossom award-winning artists will be held in Shanghai from May 21 to 31, featuring 10 productions across seven theaters in the city.

Established in 1983, the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award is the highest honor in Chinese theater. Shanghai hosted the competition final for the first time last year, and organizers have since decided to launch a biennial showcase of award-winning work in the city.

This year's program spans eight major Chinese opera genres — including Peking, Kunqu, Yueju and Yuju Opera — alongside dance theater, with 16 Plum Blossom Award recipients set to perform.

At a press conference on Thursday, Chen Zhongwen, secretary-general of the International Theatre Institute, outlined plans to invite representatives from the institute, artistic directors of globally renowned theater festivals, international performance promoters and theater experts to attend the event.

The goal, Chen said, is to "precisely connect these productions with opportunities at leading international theater platforms".

Chen Yongquan, vice-chairman of the China Theater Association, said the showcase is part of broader efforts to promote traditional Chinese culture and foster an international dialogue on Chinese theater.

"By building a regular platform in Shanghai, we aim to move beyond the previous model of scattered overseas tours by individual troupes and adopt a more systematic, brand-led strategy for presenting Chinese theater internationally," Chen said.

"The Plum Blossom Award is a national cultural brand. Through this exhibition, we hope to establish a sustainable pathway for Chinese theater to reach global audiences in a more impactful way," he added.

Works are selected not only for their artistic excellence and distinct cultural identity but also for their ability to transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries through emotional resonance.

"As performances refined through years of creation and audience feedback, these productions represent the highest level of Chinese theater art," said Yueju Opera performer Mao Weitao.

"They convey Chinese stories through a theatrical language that speaks to people across the world."