Performers in the spotlight

In the first episode, two bilingual hosts of the documentary, Jeff Crosby, who has been working in the Chinese arts and culture scene for a decade, and Chinese-Dutch actress Hsu Li-Tong, take the audience to visit artists. This includes Wang Peiyu, one of the most popular Peking Opera actresses, who specializes in playing laosheng (old male) roles and has been credited with popularizing Peking Opera among younger people, Hanggai, a Chinese rock band formed by ethnic Mongolian musicians, members of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers.

The second episode features Chinese musicians and their instruments, including Feng Mantian and his ruan, a Chinese plucked-string instrument with a history of more than 2,000 years, flute soloist Ding Xiaokui, and pianist Niu Niu, whose real name is Zhang Shengliang.

A diversity of dance forms, including traditional Chinese dance, ballet, and street dance, are introduced in the third episode, featuring interviews with dancers from the National Ballet of China, contemporary dancer Hu Shenyuan and folk dancer Dong Jilan from the Bai ethnic group.

In the last episode, audiences will learn about Chinese theater, from musicals, one of the most popular art forms in the country, to ancient shadow plays. Popular musical singer, Ayanga, and renowned composer Guo Wenjing, are among the interviewees sharing their stories.

"Theater is so alive and visceral. It's a face-to-face kind of thing. When the team traveled around China to conduct interviews over the past year, we were impressed by the artists and the ways that they connect people," says Gu Xinying a producer of the documentary, which was co-produced by China Intercontinental Communication Center, a leading Chinese documentary company headquartered in Beijing.