The English Adaptation of The Peony Pavilion Makes Its China Debut

FUZHOU, China, Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from Jiangxi International Communication Center (JXICC): In 2025, coinciding with the 475th anniversary of Tang Xianzu's birth, a cross-border "Dialogue of Dreams" took place in his hometown of Fuzhou, East of China's Jiangxi Province. During the 2025 Tang Xianzu International Theatre Exchange Month, the English adaptation of the classic opera The Peony Pavilion, produced by the Shakespeare Institute of the University of Birmingham, made its China debut in Fuzhou, Jiangxi. Presented as a vivid form of cross-cultural dialogue, the performance commemorated the 475th anniversary of the birth of the Chinese playwright Tang Xianzu. Directed by internationally renowned theatre practitioner and stage artist Emily C. A. Snyder, the production reinterprets the 16th-century masterpiece in Shakespearean-style English and verse. Its innovative approach resonated strongly with audiences in Tang Xianzu's hometown.

Also featured during the Exchange Month was the hybrid production Dreaming Under the Bough, a collaborative project between the University of International Business and Economics (China) and the University of Leeds (UK). The production blends elements from Tang Xianzu's Nanke Ji opera and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, combining Chinese opera with Western theatre to explore the universal themes of dreams and reality.

Michael Dobson, Director of the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham, noted that the English adaptation of The Peony Pavilion aims to "break down cultural barriers through artistic translation," preserving the original story while employing Western theatrical forms.

This month-long exchange program not only featured a concentrated showcase of numerous classic theatrical works from China and abroad, but also hosted a series of academic exchange activities, building a bridge for cultural interaction among young people from China and other countries.

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SOURCE Jiangxi International Communication Center(JXICC)