The real-life Yueju Opera show Qiantang Li opens this year's festival. [Photo/IC]

The 18th China Theater Festival opened at the Hangzhou Canal Grand Theater on the evening of Nov 8.

Established in 1988, the biennial festival is a high-profile theatrical art event in China and an important platform for showcasing outstanding theatrical creations.

Over the next 20 days, a diverse range of artistic genres, including Peking Opera, Shanxi Opera and Yueju Opera, will be aired through a total of 47 dramas from all over the country.

Continuing the tradition of "one play, one review", this year's festival will hold a series of play review sessions to provide guidance and suggestions for the dramas. It will also livestream 35 promotional activities, inviting the production teams to share behind-the-scene insights.

On the opening night, the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yueju Opera Troupe performed the real-life Yueju Opera show Qiantang Li, raising the curtain on the theater festival.

Set against the backdrop of modern Hangzhou, the play tells the story of the intertwined connections between two families due to an accident, depicting a vivid picture of urban life and exploring the warmth and diversity of human nature.

Theater-goers look at posters of some dramas. [Photo/IC]