As a part of Meet in Beijing 2008, a range of cultural events from Hong Kong and Macao will be held from June 23 to July 17 in Beijing. The arts festival consists of three stage performances and an exhibition. The shows will help people in Beijing learn more about the artistic allure of two cities famous for their tourist attractions and shopping resorts.

Due to their unique historical and cultural backgrounds, arts from Hong Kong and Macao have a distinctive charm. In the upcoming Arts Festival of Hong Kong and Macao, different types of arts including drama, exhibitions, orchestral concerts, and dancing will be on show in Beijing.

Zhang Ning, a spokesperson for the festival organizers outlined how they selected arts events for the Beijing audience.

"Arts from Hong Kong and Macao have different characteristics compared to the visual and performing arts in Beijing and other parts of China. Introducing such arts can improve cultural exchange between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao. Therefore, we selected three performances and one exhibition for the arts festival, aiming to show their distinctiveness."

Drama Deling and Queen Mother Cixi

Drama Deling and Queen Mother Cixi

The drama Princess Deling and Queen Mother Cixi was first put on stage in Hong Kong in 1998 and has gained recognition from both the audience and insiders.

Deling was a princess in the late Qing dynasty who was brought up and educated in Europe. The drama tells a story about the conflict between Deling and Queen Mother Cixi, the top ruler of the feudal royalty.

Lu Yan, a renowned actress who is now 80 years old, plays the role of the Empress Cixi. Lu Yan has played the same role many times in various works. But this time, the empress is very different from those she played in the past.

"Cixi was always depicted as a domineering and overbearing woman who sought power and control. But in this drama, the audience can see multiple sides of the character, including her humane side."

The drama has been staged three times over the past ten years, but mainly in Cantonese. This time, after nearly three months' practice, the Hong Kong performers will present the drama for the Beijing audience entirely in Mandarin.