Musical heralds capital's performing arts season

Chinese actor Liu Peiqi will play the leading role, Ding Deshan, who founded the restaurant in 1903. The story of the restaurant spans from its very beginning to 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded. Established by Ding, a man from Cangzhou, Hebei province, in 1903, the restaurant starts from a small booth in Dong'an market, a commercial area located in the bustling Wangfujing street, and becomes famous for its distinctive copper pots, thin-sliced strips of mutton and sugar garlic. In its 120-year history, the restaurant's fortunes have reflected those of Chinese society. Now, Dong Lai Shun has more than 150 branch restaurants across the country.

"Beijing has been transformed into a cosmopolitan city. With its profound history and charming culture, the play will appeal to an audience that wants to get a taste of old Beijing," says Lang, who is known for directing China Central Television's annual Spring Festival gala — one of the most-watched TV shows in the country — five times.

"We want to bring the old Beijing back in every aspect, such as the dialect, the sounds of the street and the food," Lang adds.

Other highlights will include Guo Feng, an original Kunqu Opera production by the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre that follows the story of Lady Xu Mu, who was a patriotic heroine and the first female poet recorded in Chinese history, and Beneath the Red Banner, a Quju Opera production by the Beijing Quju Opera Troupe, which was adapted from the novel of the same name by Chinese writer Lao She (1899-1966). While Kunqu Opera is considered the oldest traditional Chinese opera, with a history of about 600 years, and was listed as one of the masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity by the UNESCO, Quju is a traditional opera that is believed to be the only local opera in Beijing.