A classic returns in tribute

Besides Returning Home on a Snowy Night, Ren also worked with the NCPA, directing other important plays like Wangfujing in 2011 and an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House in 2014.

This restaging of Returning Home on a Snowy Night is also a celebration of Ren's artistic legacy and a tribute to a work that has, for over half a century, continued to resonate with audiences, he adds.

The play delves into the tragic life of Wei Liansheng, a famed Peking Opera actor, exploring his journey from fame to despair. At its core, the play tells the story of Wei's doomed love affair with Yuchun, the concubine of a powerful bureaucrat. Their romance, set against the backdrop of political intrigue, ends in their tragic deaths.

Originally staged by the Beijing People's Art Theatre in 1957, Returning Home on a Snowy Night has been a staple of Chinese theater. In May, the established theater company restaged a fresh rendition of it.