Liyuan Theater

Liyuan Theater has been introducing Peking opera to the world since the 1990s, and its nightly program is built for newcomers: a digest of the greatest arias and acrobatics, with English subtitles projected above the stage and a museum of costumes in the lobby.

The performances showcase the full spectacle - embroidered robes, painted faces, aerial swordplay, and the impossibly high-pitched singing - and the short format (under two hours) keeps even first-timers riveted. Program notes in a dozen languages and seats close to the action make it the least intimidating way to meet China's most ornate art form.