In the season of 2013, the NCPA orchestra presents colorful programs on the commemoration of Wagner, Verdi and Britten, highlighting the Ring without words with 12 principals from Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Lorin Maazel. NCPA’s new opera productions that the orchestra is involved include Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Otello and Nabucco, which features her second successful collaboration with Placido Domingo.　

The NCPA orchestra aims to build up a world-class orchestra with operation and management conforming to global practices while incorporating Chinese characteristics. Devoted to educational and outreach activities, the Orchestra also has presented a series of Weekend Matinee Concerts since its establishment. With specially selected repertoire, performances of high quality and extremely low ticket prices, these concerts have won great acclaim from both audience and critics. The orchestra is now embarking on a similar path with the complete Beethoven symphonies with Maestro Lu Jia.

Synopsis

During the Ming Dynasty, scholar Qin Xiaosheng is captured by the police for exposing official's corruption cases in Hangzhou. The folk singer Shui Honglian, resisting being a concubine, also fleeds to the banks of the canal. The two meet up at the sacrifice ceremony for the Dragon King of the river, on a song and dance tournament. They pose as performer on the dragon boat and escape. Qin wears sailor Li Xiaoguan's abandoned uniform and forfeits as a sailor. They take the boat of Zhang Shuiyao and went north along the canal in exile.

Meeting in trouble, they fall in love with each other, but the ship owner Zhang also has vicious love for Shui. Over Suzhou pier, the ship encountered Guan Yanyan, who, due to the romantic sailor Li's tricky plays, gave birth to a child and cried her eyes blind. Zhang convicts Qin to be Li Xiaoguan. To avoid arrestment, Qin has no way to speak up but is forced to live together with Guan. If the truth is told, Guan will resort to suicide; Qin and Shui are in immense grief.

Zhang finds out Qin's true identity and informs the police. In danger and emergence, Shui asks Qin to take Guan, with visual inconveniences, to go first, and leaves behind to stall for time.

Zhang bounds Shui to lure Qin to come back. To save her love, Shui ignites the lamp on board and burns the boat with herself on.

Qin wants to follow Shui away. But Guan asks him to finish the uncompleted cause of Shui, Qin is thus moved.

Qin and Guan come to Beijing and decide to denounce the corrupt officials to the Emperor.

Shui's love, beyond common love of common human beings, makes Qin and Guan find the home of soul of wanderers.