A centuries-old Chinese royal opera theater at Beijing's Palace Museum was opened Tuesday night for the first time in over a century.
Opera performers took to the stage to put on a series of Chinese and Western operas and music performances to welcome foreign guests attending the 2017 Taihe Civilizations Forum that kicked off in Beijing earlier that day, according to a Beijing Youth Daily report on Wednesday.
Changyinge, or Belvedere of Pleasant Sounds, is a three-storey, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal opera theater built under the orders of the Qianlong Emperor. Opera performances were held at the theater as a part of celebrations during festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and grand events such as the birthdays of the emperor and empresses.
The building fell out of use when the dynasty entered its twilight period over a century ago.
The 2017 Taihe Civilizations Forum is a two-day symposium focusing on archaeology and cultural heritage preservation.
