In December, a number of beautiful performances will be held in Chongqing.

Chongqing Grand Theater

• Opera La Traviata
  

• Dates: December 1–3
  

Chongqing Opera House will stage the classic opera La Traviata, created by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. Adapted from a novel of the same name written by famous writer Alexandre Dumas Fils, the opera tells the tragic love story of a young woman under social and moral pressures. Since its premiere, the opera has become one of the most frequently performed classic works worldwide.

The stage design for this performance is simplified and characterized by a freehand style of Chinese ink paintings, aiming to highlight the performance better and convey the essence of the opera.

Opera La Traviata (Photo/Chongqing Grand Theatre)

• Dance drama Riverdance · 25th Anniversary Show
  

• Dates: December 23–24
  

Dance drama Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show is a national treasure of Ireland that follows the theme of the country's history and culture. It showcases the Irish people's courage, passion, and unwavering spirit through vibrant music, captivating storytelling, and exquisite dancing.

The performers of this dance drama are all top-notch Irish traditional dance artists. Among them, Irish-American choreographers Michael Ryan Flatley and Jean Butler are responsible for the dance drama's principal choreography and lead performances. The audience will see beautiful Irish scenery, powerful war scenes, lively folk dances, and profound emotional expressions in their performances.

Dance drama Riverdance · 25th Anniversary Show. (Photo/Chongqing Grand Theatre)

• Richard Clayderman's piano concert Love Lasts Forever
  

• Date: December 28
  

Richard Clayderman is a renowned French pianist famous for his unique playing style and outstanding piano skills. Since 1992, his music has been popular among more than two generations of young Chinese people. In the piano concert Love Lasts Forever, Clayderman will bring the audience a music feast filled with love and warmth. Many classic masterpieces including Mariage d'amour, Concerto pour une jeune fille nommée "je t'aime", and Für Elise will be staged.

Richard Clayderman's piano concert Love Lasts Forever. (Photo/Chongqing Grand Theatre)

Chongqing Guotai Art Center

• Fire of Georgia by Royal National Ballet of Georgia
  

• Dates: December 19–20
  

Fire of Georgia consists of 19 diverse short works showcasing Georgia's national culture and local customs. Georgian dance is characterized by distinct features. Male dancers primarily display jumping, fast spinning, and fighting movements. They will leap into the air like eagles, performing mid-air splits, spin on both knees on the ground like a spinning top, and even perform two consecutive spins in the air. One of the most technically demanding movements is walking while supporting the body weight on the toes, which forms the only toe dance for males worldwide.

Fire of Georgia by Royal National Ballet of Georgia. (Photo/Chongqing Guotai Art Center)

• Wind Ensemble Carnival: Chongqing United Wind Ensembles 2024 New Year Concert
  

• Date: December 23
  

The New Year Concert of Chongqing Brass Quintet, known as "Chongqing's music card" among many domestic and foreign musicians, will be staged again. It is worth mentioning that this year's concert will not be conducted by professional conductors but by music teachers from Chongqing's universities and primary and secondary schools that have student wind ensembles. This not only provides a high-standard platform for ordinary teachers engaged in music education, especially wind music education, to showcase their talents but also holds significant importance in enhancing the artistic level of the student wind ensembles.

Chongqing United Wind Ensembles 2024 New Year Concert. (Photo/Chongqing Guotai Art Center)

Shi Guangnan Grand Theater

• Ballet The Red Detachment of Women
  

• Dates: December 9–10
  

The ballet The Red Detachment of Women is an everlasting classic. As the best work of the National Ballet of China, it pioneered combining Western ballet techniques with Chinese ethnic dance forms. Since its premiere in 1964, it has been performed over 4,000 times and has been invited to be staged in more than 20 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, and Italy.

The unique aspect of this ballet lies in the portrayal of female characters. Over the past 59 years since its premiere, the heroine Wu Qionghua has been played by six generations of actresses, but they have all showcased the same characteristics, including both the gallantry of soldiers and the beauty and elegance of women. The spirit of self-improvement and fortitude, reminiscent of the detachment of women, have inspired generations of Chinese women.

Ballet The Red Detachment of Women. (Photo/Shi Guangnan Grand Theater)

• Musical Flowers for Algernon
  

• Dates: December 15–16
  

The musical Flowers for Algernon is adapted from a science fiction novel of the same name. Its original work was published by American author Daniel Keyes and won the Hugo Award and Nebula Award.

The musical is full of technological elements but doesn't give the audience a stereotypical impression of technology—cold, rigorous, and high-end laboratories with indifferent, serious scientists. Instead, it explores the meaning of love, happiness, warmth, and life that science can never replace, even though science has brought significant changes to people's lives.

Musical Flowers for Algernon. (Photo/Shi Guangnan Grand Theater)