 | |  | |  | |  |
Top 10 Beijing Opera Venues
Address: 8 Majiapu Donglu, south of Taoranting Park
Phone: 10-6756-2287
Address: 7 Jiangguomen NeiDajie
Phone: 10-6510-1308
Daily two-hour performances of mostly complete operas. At this contemporary theater, like at a
cabaret, you sit at tables and can eat and drink while watching lively, colorful performances of Beijing
opera. English subtitles appear above the stage.
Address: 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District
Phone: 10-6507-2421
Tickets: RMB 120-RMB 200
Website: www.acrobatics.com.cn/english/english.asp
The only place to see both Peking Opera highlights and acrobatics on the same night. Chaoyang
Theatre offers an excellent introduction to Chinese acrobatics, a popular form of entertainment dating
back 2,000 years. Daily hour-long performances feature the China Acrobatic Troupe—the largest
such group in the country—who also perform magic. Expect to see spinning plates, trapeze artists,
contortionists and tumbling acrobats.
Address: 13 Hufang Lu, Xuanwu District 北京宣武区虎坊路3号
Phone: 10-6351-8284
Website: www.beijinghuguang.com
Daily one-hour highlights. The city's oldest Beijing opera theater, the Guildhall has staged
performances since 1807. The hall has been restored to display its original architecture and
appearance. Although it's the most atmospheric place to take in an opera, it's not the liveliest.
Address: 3 Qianmen Xidajie, Xuanwu District
Phone: 10-6303-6830
Transportation: Bus 5, 10, 110 or 120 at Qianmen; Subway Line 2
at Qianmen
Ticket Price (including Qing Dynasty style snacks): RMB 60-180
$8.3 -25)
Show Time: 7:50pm-9:20pm Fri-Sun
WiFi wireless internet access
Website: www.laosheteahouse.com
Named after a noted Chinese writer, Lao She (老舍）and his play "teahouse" (1957). Daily 90-minute
variety shows that include acrobatics, magic tricks, and Beijing Opera.
Address: Qian Men Hotel, 175 Yonganlu, Xuan Wu District
Phone: 10-8315-7297
Transportation: Bus 7 or 14 at Hufang qiao
Ticket Price: RMB 200-580 ($28 - $81)
Show Time: 7:30pm - 8:40pm
Website: www.qianmenhotel.com/en/liyuan/index.php
The best place for Peking Opera highlights. Daily 70-minute highlights shows with English subtitles.
Heavy, Ming-style tables, placed so that the audience can enjoy famous Chinese tea and nibble local
snacks during performances, help recreate the ambience of old Beijing.
Address: 32 Pinganli Xidajie, Xicheng District
Phone: 10-5833-1210
Transportation: Subway Line 2 at Chegongzhuang
Ticket Price: RMB 50-2080
Show Time: 7:30pm - 10pm
The Mei Lanfang Grand Theater, named after Peking Opera's eminent star of the same name,
opened in Nov 2007 and cost $14.7 million to build. It is located in the downtown Xicheng District and
can hold 1,068 people in a three-storied building. The new theater is bigger than the Changan Grand
Theater, which was the biggest venue for traditional Beijing opera with seating for 800.
Built for a Manchu official but seized by the imperial household, the former residence of Prince Gong is
the best preserved historic mansion in Beijing. The garden is a pattern of corridors and pavilions,
dotted with pools and gates. The timber built Grand Theater House is to be found in the eastern part
of the garden with a collection of old-time pavilions standing beside it. It has withstood more than 100
years of northern China’s changeable weather and still stands firmly. This is opera for tourists, kept
short and sweet, with a guided tour of the surrounding gardens included in the price. There are
several performances daily until 4:30pm.
Address: 14A Liuyin Jie, xicheng District, Beijing
Phone: 10-6616-8149
Address: 1 Beiwei lu (near Tianqiao Theatre), Xuanwu District
Phone: 10-6304-0617
Tickets: Old Beijing Variety shows RMB 150; Xiangsheng (China's own version of Stand-up comedy)
RMB 20-RMB60
In an old, traditional theater, the teahouse hosts Beijing operas as well as acrobatics, jugglers,
illusionists, and contortionists.
Address: Qian Men, 220 Xi Heyan Jie
Phone: 10-8315-1649
Transportation: Walk south of the Heping Men Quanjude, take 1st left. Subway Line 2 at Hepingmen
(exit C2)
China's oldest wooden theatre is orantely decorated and a superb place to experience Beijing Opera.
The theatre, originally a temple, was bought privately and revived in 1995. Performances are held
most nights at 7:30pm (call to check).
Address: 8-2 Dongdan saitiao, off Wangfujing Dajie
Phone: 10-6559-7394
- Beijing Traditional Opera Theater
Address: 8 Majiapu Donglu, south of Taoranting Park
Phone: 10-6756-2287
- Changan Grand Theater 长安大戏院
Address: 7 Jiangguomen NeiDajie
Phone: 10-6510-1308
Daily two-hour performances of mostly complete operas. At this contemporary theater, like at a
cabaret, you sit at tables and can eat and drink while watching lively, colorful performances of Beijing
opera. English subtitles appear above the stage.
- Chaoyang Theater (Changyang Juchang, 朝阳剧场)
Address: 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District
Phone: 10-6507-2421
Tickets: RMB 120-RMB 200
Website: www.acrobatics.com.cn/english/english.asp
The only place to see both Peking Opera highlights and acrobatics on the same night. Chaoyang
Theatre offers an excellent introduction to Chinese acrobatics, a popular form of entertainment dating
back 2,000 years. Daily hour-long performances feature the China Acrobatic Troupe—the largest
such group in the country—who also perform magic. Expect to see spinning plates, trapeze artists,
contortionists and tumbling acrobats.
- Hu Guang Hui Guan (Hu Guang Guild hall, 湖广会馆)
Address: 13 Hufang Lu, Xuanwu District 北京宣武区虎坊路3号
Phone: 10-6351-8284
Website: www.beijinghuguang.com
Daily one-hour highlights. The city's oldest Beijing opera theater, the Guildhall has staged
performances since 1807. The hall has been restored to display its original architecture and
appearance. Although it's the most atmospheric place to take in an opera, it's not the liveliest.
- Lao She Teahouse 老舍茶馆
Address: 3 Qianmen Xidajie, Xuanwu District
Phone: 10-6303-6830
Transportation: Bus 5, 10, 110 or 120 at Qianmen; Subway Line 2
at Qianmen
Ticket Price (including Qing Dynasty style snacks): RMB 60-180
$8.3 -25)
Show Time: 7:50pm-9:20pm Fri-Sun
WiFi wireless internet access
Website: www.laosheteahouse.com
Named after a noted Chinese writer, Lao She (老舍）and his play "teahouse" (1957). Daily 90-minute
variety shows that include acrobatics, magic tricks, and Beijing Opera.
- Li Yuan Theater (Li Yuan Juchang, 梨园剧场)
Address: Qian Men Hotel, 175 Yonganlu, Xuan Wu District
Phone: 10-8315-7297
Transportation: Bus 7 or 14 at Hufang qiao
Ticket Price: RMB 200-580 ($28 - $81)
Show Time: 7:30pm - 8:40pm
Website: www.qianmenhotel.com/en/liyuan/index.php
The best place for Peking Opera highlights. Daily 70-minute highlights shows with English subtitles.
Heavy, Ming-style tables, placed so that the audience can enjoy famous Chinese tea and nibble local
snacks during performances, help recreate the ambience of old Beijing.
- Meilanfang Grand Theatre 梅兰芳大剧院
Address: 32 Pinganli Xidajie, Xicheng District
Phone: 10-5833-1210
Transportation: Subway Line 2 at Chegongzhuang
Ticket Price: RMB 50-2080
Show Time: 7:30pm - 10pm
The Mei Lanfang Grand Theater, named after Peking Opera's eminent star of the same name,
opened in Nov 2007 and cost $14.7 million to build. It is located in the downtown Xicheng District and
can hold 1,068 people in a three-storied building. The new theater is bigger than the Changan Grand
Theater, which was the biggest venue for traditional Beijing opera with seating for 800.
- Mansion of Prince Gong (Gong Wang Fu Chaguan)
Built for a Manchu official but seized by the imperial household, the former residence of Prince Gong is
the best preserved historic mansion in Beijing. The garden is a pattern of corridors and pavilions,
dotted with pools and gates. The timber built Grand Theater House is to be found in the eastern part
of the garden with a collection of old-time pavilions standing beside it. It has withstood more than 100
years of northern China’s changeable weather and still stands firmly. This is opera for tourists, kept
short and sweet, with a guided tour of the surrounding gardens included in the price. There are
several performances daily until 4:30pm.
Address: 14A Liuyin Jie, xicheng District, Beijing
Phone: 10-6616-8149
- Tian Qiao Happy Teahouse (Tianqiao Le Cha Yuan, Tian qiao le Chaguan)
Address: 1 Beiwei lu (near Tianqiao Theatre), Xuanwu District
Phone: 10-6304-0617
Tickets: Old Beijing Variety shows RMB 150; Xiangsheng (China's own version of Stand-up comedy)
RMB 20-RMB60
In an old, traditional theater, the teahouse hosts Beijing operas as well as acrobatics, jugglers,
illusionists, and contortionists.
- Zheng Yi Temple Theater (Zhengyici Xilou, Zhengyici Theater)
Address: Qian Men, 220 Xi Heyan Jie
Phone: 10-8315-1649
Transportation: Walk south of the Heping Men Quanjude, take 1st left. Subway Line 2 at Hepingmen
(exit C2)
China's oldest wooden theatre is orantely decorated and a superb place to experience Beijing Opera.
The theatre, originally a temple, was bought privately and revived in 1995. Performances are held
most nights at 7:30pm (call to check).
- East Pioneer Theater
Address: 8-2 Dongdan saitiao, off Wangfujing Dajie
Phone: 10-6559-7394
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
