The 24th BeSeTo Theater Festival, an art event jointly hosted by China, Japan and South Korea, began in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on Nov 5.

The six-day festival features performances from the three countries as well as assorted exchange forums about theater development.

A total of 10 plays are scheduled to be performed by 13 troupes in Hangzhou during the festival. Some of them are interpretations of classic novels while some explore new and vivid staging techniques to reflect social reality.

One of the most anticipated productions is a new interpretation of Macbeth created by three young directors from China, Japan and South Korea. By combining elements from Peking Opera and modern Japanese and Korean drama, the play reflects an in-depth exchange between the three artists.

A string of academic exchange activities are also expected to take place during BeSeTo, inviting experts to share their opinions on the internationalization of local theater culture and the development of theater education.

The BeSeTo Theater Festival was initially launched by China, Japan and South Korea in 1994. BeSeTo's name is an amalgamation of the first two letters of the three country's capital cities: Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo. Aimed at fostering cultural communications, the three countries take turns to host the event each year.

A poster for Peony Pavilion, a traditional Kunju Opera play, which was presented by a troupe from Hangzhou at the opening ceremony of the 24th BeSeTo Theater Festival on Nov 5. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]