Cultural outreach drama Protagonist debuts overseas on 22-city global tour

Boasting huge domestic popularity driven by its hit TV adaptation, the award-winning Shaanxi stage drama Protagonist has kicked off its upgraded 2026 tour, embarking on a new cultural journey covering 22 cities at home and abroad. Highlighting cross-border cultural exchange, the production will make its overseas debut in Russia, showcasing the charm of Chinese traditional opera and contemporary theater to global audiences.

Adapted from a work by Nobel laureate Mao Dun, the drama is jointly produced by the Shaanxi People's Art Theatre and People's Network. Winner of China's prestigious Wenhua Award, the play centers on the perseverance and inheritance of generations of Chinese opera practitioners, carrying profound traditional cultural connotations and positive spiritual values. Benefiting from the phenomenal ratings performance of its TV version, the stage production has continued to gain widespread public attention, forming an influential cross-media cultural IP.

The 2026 upgraded tour serves as an important cultural outreach project with both domestic public cultural benefits and international communication significance. The ambitious touring schedule includes 59 performances across domestic and overseas routes. While staging shows in major Chinese cities, the production will travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, in early October to perform at the 36th International Theatre Festival "Baltic House". It will bring the integrated aesthetics of Qinqiang Opera, a national intangible cultural heritage, and modern Chinese realistic drama to the international stage.

This overseas appearance offers a valuable window for global audiences to understand traditional Chinese opera art, the regional culture of Shaanxi, and the spiritual pursuit of Chinese literary and artistic creation. By presenting authentic, down-to-earth Chinese stories through professional stage performances, the drama aims to bridge cultural gaps and enhance Sino-foreign artistic dialogue and mutual understanding.

To deliver top-level performances for both domestic and international audiences, the crew has conducted intensive rehearsals and detailed polishing. The team optimized lines, rhythm and subtitle presentation to adapt to cross-regional and cross-cultural viewing habits. Adhering to rigorous artistic standards, the cast and crew uphold the persistent and dedicated spirit of Shaanxi artists to ensure high-quality presentations throughout the global tour.

Liu Liyouyou, lead actress of the drama, noted that every performance aims to convey the power of perseverance and original aspiration embodied in traditional artists, enabling audiences of all backgrounds to resonate with the spirit of dedication and inheritance.

According to Li Xuan, president of the Shaanxi People's Art Theatre, the global tour of Protagonist is a vital practice of telling Chinese stories well via outstanding stage works. Rooted in traditional culture and realistic creation, the drama spreads distinctive Shaanxi cultural glamour overseas, promotes the innovative inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, and contributes to boosting international communication capacity of Chinese culture.

Since its premiere, Protagonist has accumulated remarkable performance results and public influence. The 2026 global tour further expands the reach of China's excellent theatrical works, empowering traditional culture to break geographical boundaries and gain new vitality in international cultural exchanges.