Performers at the "Nongchao" stage in Beijing Photo: Courtesy of the  Qingdao Peking Opera Theater

The modern Peking Opera Nong Chao, which depicts the innovation and progress of the people in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, was staged at the China National Opera House in Beijing on Saturday evening.   

The play tells a modern industrial story by presenting the challenging journey of Zhang Liangang, a senior expert at the Shandong Port Group, and his team in constructing a fully automated terminal. 

The production also showcases the city's progress, featuring local delicacies like mackerel dumplings and incorporating the Qingdao dialect, adding a distinct regional flavor to the play.

A blue coastline, colorful containers, towering bridge cranes and modern operating equipment unfold on the stage, while the use of multimedia has enhanced the spatial and color dynamics of the setting, immersing the audience in modern, intelligent port scenes and allowing them to fully appreciate the spirit of contemporary industrial workers.

Focusing on industrial themes and the lives of modern-day industrial workers, the opera was penned by playwright Wang Yong and directed by Lu Ang. The production stars renowned Peking Opera performers, including Zhang Jianfeng, Wang Yan and Wang Yue. Talented young and middle-aged actors from the Qingdao Peking Opera Theater also participated in the performance.