The Chinese play Lin Zexu lit up the stage at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 19. But this performance was unlike any before. For the first time, the stirring historical narrative unfolding onstage was simultaneously experienced by audiences across China through a groundbreaking ultra-high-definition livestream.

The debut of this NCPA project, the Second Stage Initiative, extended live performances to 25 theaters, over 100 cinemas, and two universities across the nation, encompassing regions like Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Hainan province, engaging over 25,000 viewers.

According to Wang Ning, president of the NCPA, the initiative is a major cultural innovation powered by cutting-edge technologies, such as ultra-high-definition livestreaming, panoramic sound systems and intelligent directing.

"This is the widest-reaching and most technically sophisticated live performance broadcast ever conducted in China," Wang says.

The featured production Lin Zexu was jointly produced by the NCPA and the Guangzhou Dramatic Arts Centre. Lauded for its profound historical insight and artistic merit, the play has been performed more than 50 times across seven rounds since its premiere in 2019.

The play follows the story of Lin Zexu, a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) official and scholar, who was sent by the emperor to Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to stop the illegal import of opium from the British in 1838.

Lin arrived in the spring of 1839 and launched the destruction of opium in Humen, a port town, on June 3 of the same year. About 1,400 metric tons of opium, confiscated from foreign traders, were destroyed within 23 days. The incident triggered the First Opium War (1839-42).

Veteran actor and director Pu Cunxin and actress Xu Fan play leading roles in the production.

Through cinematic filming techniques including multi-perspective and multi-camera shooting combined with ultra-high-definition technology, the Second Stage Initiative re-created the live theater experience, breaking through the spatial boundaries that traditionally limit stage performances.

Since its official launch in early April, the initiative has marked a new chapter in public cultural enrichment using technology to broaden access to the performing arts.

In the future, the NCPA will present six Second Stage livestreams each year, featuring a diverse and serialized range of artistic genres and themes.