56 Best Performing Arts Venues in China

The annual Hong Kong International Film Festival brings together some of the finest film-industry talent from all over the globe. The festival usually occurs in mid-March, offering two weeks worth of movie screenings, exhibitions, and seminars, some hosted by world-renowned actors and filmmakers. As a supplement to the main festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society also holds a Cine Fan Summer International Film Festival in the middle of August.

Look out for performances by the world-class Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, which plays everything from classical to avant-garde, as well as contemporary music by Chinese composers. Past soloists have included Vladimir Ashkenazy, Rudolf Firkusny, and Maureen Forrester.

Built in 1807, the Huguang Guild Hall was at its height one of Beijing's "Four Great" theaters. In 1925, the Guild Hall hosted Dr. Sun Yat-sen at the founding of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Today, the Guild Hall has been restored to its former glory and hosts regular opera performances. The venue also has a small museum of Peking opera artifacts.

It might be in the sticks, but the Kwai Tsing Theatre is a major player in the cultural scene. Sunlight pours into the atrium through a curving glass facade that looks onto a plaza where performances are often held. Inside, the 900-seat theater provides a much-needed middle ground between the massive spaces and tiny studio theaters at other venues. And if the likes of Philip Glass and the Royal Shakespeare Company can schlep out here, 25 minutes by MTR from Central, so can you.

Named for famed Beijing author Lao She, this teahouse in the Qianmen area plays host to a variety of traditional performances, including acrobatics, opera, and vaudeville shows. Dinner is served on the premises; reservations are required one day in advance for the nightly shows.

The city's most impressive cultural event is Lijiang Impression, a music and dance performance that makes full use of the spectacular location. There are four performances a day, and admission is Y190 to Y260, depending on how close you want to be to the front.

Although the renovation of Shanghai's oldest theater sadly replaced the richly stained wood with glaring marble and glass, the design of the space makes for an intimate theater experience. The Lyceum regularly hosts drama and music from around China as well as smaller local plays and Chinese opera performances. On the third floor is cocktail bar and stage Candor which puts on burlesque-style shows in plush, red velvet surrounds.

At the Meeting Hall of Lijiang, the Mountain Spirit Show offers fire eating and other extraordinary feats. The 8 pm performances cost around Y280.

This Beijing branch of the famed Pace Gallery operates with an independent program focusing on Chinese contemporary artists.

Founded by the expatriate Bostonian Meg Maggio, who has lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Pékin Fine Arts focuses on contemporary artists from around Asia who have both international and domestic exhibition experience.

This is a modern shopping-center-like complex on top of Dongsishitiao subway station. One of Beijing's better-known theaters, the Poly hosts Chinese and international concerts, ballets, and musicals. If you're seeking a performance in English, this is one of your best bets.

This troupe performs remarkable gravity-defying stunts at the Shanghai Centre Theater, inside the Portman Ritz-Carlton.

More than a decade ago, city officials spent $6 million to move this venerable concert hall two blocks to avoid the rumble from the nearby highway. Only then did they discover that it now sat over an even more rumbling subway line. Oops. It’s known for hosting top-level classical musicians from around China and the world.

This cultural powerhouse presents traditional Chinese works as well as a superb selection of Western shows. The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and Netherlands Symphony Orchestra are just three among a slew of groups that have performed here.

In a city where the list of nightlife options isn't terribly long, the song and dance performance at Tang Dynasty makes for a fun if slightly cheesy evening. Dinner starts at 7 pm, shows begin at 8:30 pm, and for the meal you have a choice between the dumpling banquet (Y400) and the Tang Dynasty Dinner (Y500). You may be able to get a better deal through travel agencies that often have offices in hotel lobbies.

Brought to Macau by Franco Dragone, former star director of Cirque du Soleil, The House of Dancing Water aquatic show is the primo attraction at City of Dreams. This 90-minute spectacle harnesses 14 million liters (3.7 million gallons) of water—think five Olympic-sized swimming pools—to weave elaborate stunts, dives, and explosions into a love story. Tickets cost MOP$580, and it's best to book ahead.

The Beijing Acrobatics Troupe of China is famous for weird, wonderful shows. Content includes a flashy show of offbeat contortions and tricks, with a lot of high-wire action. There are two shows per night, usually scheduled for 5:30 and 7:15 pm, but it's best to phone ahead and check.

A traditional theater that hosts everything from contemporary dance performances to ballet, folk music, and cross-talk revues.

Tibetan operas are performed by the Tibet Shol Opera Troupe in a theater at the Himalaya Hotel. Tickets cost Y100, and reservations are required.

If eclectic art is your thing, then Vitamin Creative Space might be worth the trip, but be warned: it's located in the back of a semi-enclosed vegetable market and not easy to find even if you speak Chinese. Call ahead for directions or someone to lead you to the door.

Home of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Xinghai Concert Hall puts on a superb array of concerts featuring national and international performers. Next to the Guangzhou Museum of Art, the concert hall is surrounded by a fantastic sculpture garden.

Not only Beijing Opera but also China's other regional operas, such as Huju, Kunqu, and Yueju, are performed regularly at this theater in the heart of the city center. Considered the marquee theater for opera in Shanghai, it's just a block off People's Square.

Housed in a Republican-era courtyard, Yugong Yishan is the city's other premier destination for live music by both local rock bands and touring foreign acts. If you're in the mood to catch a good show, check the venue website to see who's playing when you're in town.