Natural landscapes of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan Province Photo:Courtesy of Wenxin

Showcasing stage plays both online and "offline," the 2022 Daliangshan International Theatre Festival is set to kick off on Friday in Xichang, capital of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

As the Chinese mainland's one and only theater festival held in the winter season, the Daliangshan International Theatre Festival is underpinned by well-planned COVID-19 prevention and control solutions that have enabled it to remain accessible to audiences ever since it was first launched in 2019. 

Promotional materials for the 2022 Daliangshan International Theatre Festival Photo:Courtesy of Wenxin

The 2022 edition of the festival will offer dozens of diverse performances across more than 10 categories such as parent-children plays, monologues, symphonic poems, musicals and ballet performances. 

Highlighted performances include original folk opera Yi Hong, inspired by Yi ethnic culture, and Chun Shi, roughly translated as "spring is gone," an artistic combination of traditional Chinese aesthetics and modern elements that showcase the power of the female community. 

"The Dalingshan International Festival is very different from theater festivals in China. It is because local culture provides the event with a sense of cultural authenticity that we [theater workers] often bring on stage," Xiong Tingting, a Chinese theater insider, told the Global Times. 

Fashion shows at the 2022 Daliangshan International Theatre Festival Photo:Courtesy of Wenxin

In an update to its showcase methods, the 2022 event will use a combination model to display on-site performances online to attract audiences from around the world. It also has established an online "drama village," through which it aims to create an online community providing forum discussions, educational programs and cultural tourism information about Daliangshan. 

To become a "villager," participants need only buy a digital villager certificate for 1 yuan (14 cents) that will allow them to participate in the limited activities at the festival.

"The festival looks like it is expanding its cultural brand in a way conducive to boosting local cultural tourism. The development of cultural activities is a good sign that shows China's poverty alleviation was a success in this region," Xiao Shuming, a cultural researcher in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province told the Global Times on Monday. 

Promotional materials for 2022 Daliangshan International Theatre Festival Photo:Courtesy of Wenxin