The National Center for the Performing Arts held on Dec 22 a 12-hour "Online Arts Festival", marking the venue's 13th birthday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The National Center for the Performing Arts held on Dec 22 a 12-hour "Online Arts Festival", marking the venue's 13th birthday.

Featuring a wide range of performances, such as singing, dancing, drama and opera, the online programs included numerous highlights, such as NCPA drama productions A Doll's House, Crossroads and The Count of Monte Cristo, the National Ballet of China's original ballet Flying Against the Wind, and excerpts from Peking Opera shows as well as popular opera films, such as NCPA's opera production The Dawns Here Are Quiet.

According to the vice-president of the NCPA, audiences are invited to enjoy free shows at the NCPA on its birthday every year. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, programs for the celebration of the 13th birthday of NCPA were moved online for the first time.

The National Center for the Performing Arts held on Dec 22 a 12-hour "Online Arts Festival", marking the venue's 13th birthday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Besides the 12-hourlong online event, NCPA put on more than 20 performances online from Dec 11 to 22 with the theme, "Life with Art". The China NCPA Orchestra and Chorus will close the birthday celebration series of performances with a concert under the baton of NCPA music artistic director Lyu Jia, performing Beethoven's Symphony No 9 and other classics along with an exciting pre-show talk.

Since April 11, the NCPA has launched a series of online performances including "Spring Online", "Sound of Summer Blooms", "Bright Autumn Cadenza" and "An Invitation from Winter", with a total of 40 performances and over 1.21 billion online hits.

The National Center for the Performing Arts held on Dec 22 a 12-hour "Online Arts Festival", marking the venue's 13th birthday. [Photo provided to China Daily]