China on Stage

The sights and sounds of China's performing arts are instantly recognisable. From the first plucked notes of a guzheng, to the drama of the Whip Dance, they conjure up a unique and unmistakable artistic world. In this series, we see how China's many and varied performers are finding exciting ways of synthesising China's artistic heritage with fresh global influences. We discover a China that's absorbing new ideas and art-forms hitherto unknown there, and hear how these have been infused with Chinese characteristics. Over six episodes we explore the traditional and the cutting edge in Chinese music, dance and theatre - from ballet to street dance, from Beijing opera to the latest pop - the series takes us into a world of Chinese performance that is rarely seen outside of China.