Promotional material of Huaya Canal Photo: Courtesy of the Beijing Hebei Bangzi Troupe

The curtains closed on an original traditional Chinese opera concerning the Grand Canal in Beijing on Wednesday after two days of performances. 

Huaya Canal depicts a tragic story that takes place along the waterway that connects China's north and south.

A series of waterways that link Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province to Beijing, the Grand Canal, also known as Jinghang Waterway, is the world's longest man-made waterway.

It was built to enable transportation of grain from the southern part of China to the capital city and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The story of Huaya Canal, played in the traditional Chinese opera called Hebei Bangzi, a local opera recognized from North China's Hebei Province, is based on the background alongside the canal.

All kinds of themes are depicted in the opera, from the helplessness of those who cannot control their own destiny to the will of people to fight for the life they desire.

The stage design included water curtains, courtyards, painted boats, theaters, pavilions and other different scenes to recreate the lifestyle that people lived during ancient times.

Founded by the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation, Huaya Canal was performed on Tuesday and Wednesday at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.