Dream in The Peony Pavilion

EVENT DESCRIPTION

An ethereal vision brought to life through pure movement, Chinese dance production Dream in The Peony Pavilion pays tribute to this classic Chinese love story in a hazy, surreal style that perfectly evokes its theme of romantic dreams coming true.

Featuring six star dancers and a 30-strong cast from the Suzhou Song and Dance Theatre, this is the latest work from one of Mainland China’s most sought-after new-generation choreographers and directors. Li Xing is the winner of numerous accolades including a Wenhua Award, China’s top performing arts prize, and his previous hits include A Dream of Red Mansions (2022). When Dream in The Peony Pavilion premiered in Suzhou in April 2025, tickets for each performance sold out within an hour.

The production is based on Tang Xianzu’s celebrated Ming dynasty play The Peony Pavilion (1598), which tells the story of Du Liniang falling in love with a young scholar in her dreams, but she wastes away and dies as she longs for him. Later, the scholar Liu Mengmei finds her self-portrait and sets the stage for a romance against all odds.

Dream in The Peony Pavilion brings the play to life in daring duets and ensemble dances. Its dramatic mise-en-scène showcases floating, diaphanous costumes, swirling mist and a dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The section of the stage representing the pavilion extends out into the audience, immersing festivalgoers in a rarefied, poetic world of improbable, eternal romance.

2026.03.27
19:30 【Festival Finale】
The 27 Mar performance of Dance Theatre—Dream in The Peony Pavilion is the Festival Finale, with a duration of approx. 2hrs 55mins including an interval of about 30 minutes

2026.03.28
14:30
19:30
Approx. 2hrs 40mins incl. one interval of 15 mins

2026.03.29
14:30
Approx. 2hrs 40mins incl. one interval of 15 mins