Beijing Opera Show at Liyuan Theater

I went here to experience an unusual culture and it was really extraordinary but the traditional music is not harmonious at all and very loud, so that was the main problem for me. I recommend researching Chinese opera to really understand the concept. Also, we paid extra for VIP seats but they were a waste of money, the theatre is very small so there was no reason to be nearer to the stage. The only bonus was the drinks and snacks they offered. The souvenir shop is worth a visit. Very much a tourist attraction, but also quite useful for travellers with a limited time. Recommended.

The Liyuan Theatre is inside a hotel. It is old but not dirty. The three shows you see are not connected and were fairly interesting. The theatre was packed when we went. We sat in the second section, which I think is probably the best because you're close to the front, have a table, and can also see the screens on the sides for the translation of what is said on screen. The performance was great. The write up in the program gave us enough clues to follow the action. What surprised us the most was the facial expressions of the warriors, specifically their eyes, and the stunning acrobatic feats! Before the show, you can watch one of the main characters put on their stage makeup and attire. It was quite impressive to see the various layers of clothing that went into creating each character. I'm glad we went. If you've never done it and are looking for something different, give it a shot.

I am an avid Opera Buff and this was one of the best performances I have ever seen and a great surprise for our anniversary it topped of our holiday to China and was a very special night.

Incredibel show. We enjoyed the opera. Easy transport. Good night and enjoy

We really enjoyed our evening. Very cultural and entertaining. The theatre was beautiful and the singers' clothes were so ornate. I would highly recommend this evening

If I could give more stars, I would. This was an amazing experience. If you go to China you want to really see the culture there and this evening was exactly that. I have never seen anything like this before and wasn't expecting much. I don't really like Opera that much but my friend was pretty insistent and I am so glad she was. This isn't like Western or European Opera, so much of Beijing culture is in this show and I was buzzing by the end. I rarely write reviews but this was something else. I really recommend this

The theatre isn't that big, so pick any seats from section 1 to 3 or even back zone looked fine to me. In the VIP section, some snacks and drinks, jasmine tea were provided. The opera performs with old traditional Chinese, but there are English subtitles on the screens, so no need to worry about it. Sometimes it scrolls too fast or turns off, but it's okay, just relax and enjoy the singing and dancing. The costumes are gorgeous, the music and singing are distinctive and entertaining and the acrobatics are remarkable and also the fact that it is very different from European opera does not make it bad or unenjoyable in my eyes. For anyone going to visit the tip is to be seen buying a programme, and you will get upgraded to a table nearer the stage where you can buy snacks and drinks and the view from here is pretty amazing! I would definitely recommend this tour.

Just sitting relaxing and listening to these great voices! Very good entertainment!

Found it difficult to follow translation on the screens whilst looking at the performers. I think they most probably used google translate because most of the time the English didn't make understandable sentences! It was the most expensive evening activity we did and was totally not worth the money! if you're looking for something with more class then this is not the opera to go to unless you want a bizarre experience!