The fifth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater

Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival kicked off at the Guangzhou Opera

House on the evening of September 16. The festival is jointly sponsored

by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of

China, the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the

Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR),

and the Government of the Macao SAR.

The month-long culture and arts feast features five categories of events

across 11 cities: the “Arts in the Bay” performance series; “Resonance in

Arts” art lectures; “Shared Aesthetics” art exhibitions; “Art in Daily Life”

activities for the benefit of the public; and the “Radiance of Arts”

performing arts fair. Over 100 performances, 19 exhibitions, and more

than 150 community events will be held.

The festival began with the “Symphony of the Greater Bay Area” concert,

where seven compositions highlighting the “GBA gene”—Guangdong’s

most outstanding original symphonic works from recent years—were

performed.

Multiple world-renowned classic works will be staged in the GBA, and

several acclaimed international troupes have chosen the festival as their

first stop in China, allowing local audiences to savor the charm of world-

class art without traveling far.

Among the performances already staged was “La Traviata,” a classic

opera performed by an approximately 150-member troupe from the Greek

National Opera for their debut in China. Another performance was

Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake,” renowned for its groundbreaking all-

male ensemble that reimagines the classic story and is regarded as a

milestone in modern ballet. Additionally, “Eugene Onegin” and “Uncle

Vanya,” both classic plays produced by the century-old Vakhtangov

Theatre of Russia, were praised for their embodiment of the depth and

subtlety of Russian literary giants. Five internationally acclaimed musical

theatre stars, including Brad Little, shared the stage for the first time at

the GBA, performing 26 pieces of classic musicals.

Following that, the hit French musical “Molière” will take the stage at the

Guangzhou Opera House in October, depicting the legendary life of the

French theatre master Molière through its revolutionary stage aesthetics.

“Confucius,” a dance drama by the China National Opera & Dance

Drama Theater, has been staged. Following that, the National Theatre of

China will present the modern drama “The Yellow Storm,” while the

Shanghai Yue Opera House will showcase its classic interpretation of the

literary masterpiece A Dream of Red Mansions with its Yue Opera

adaptation of the same name. The Guangdong Yue Opera Theatre’s

production “Samsui Women” tells an inspiring story of female resilience,

and the Southern Song and Dance Troupe’s “I Like You” bridges tradition

and modernity by integrating Yingge Dance with musical theatre.

To further vitalize the performing arts market in the GBA and support the

high-quality development of Guangdong’s performing arts market, this

year’s festival encompasses the component themed “Radiance of

Arts”—the 16th China (Guangzhou) International Performing Arts Fair.

Scheduled from September 25 to 28, the event will bring together nearly

300 performing arts institutions from 20 countries and regions,

showcasing nearly 1,000 productions.