China National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts

Founded in 1950, the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts (NACTA) is the only institute of its kind in China that offers both B.A. and M.A. degrees. The students are educated by highly experienced faculty members. Additionally, a number of internationally recognized scholars, experts and artists are engaged in the teaching activities. Since the 1950s, past graduates are actively engaged in Chinese dramatic troupes, media arts, and filmmaking as well as theatrical education and criticism.

 

Dedicated to the training of professionals in performing and studying traditional Chinese opera, the Academy is carrying the mission of inheriting these ancient and splendid performing arts and introducing and presenting them to the world. NACTA attaches great importance to international exchanges. In the past decades, it has established friendly relationships with many comprehensive universities and art academies worldwide including the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany，Russia，Italy，Korea and Japan. Overseas students from different continents have come to this Academy to further their studies in Chinese language, culture and Xiqu (Chinese traditional Opera) performing arts. They have played influential roles in cultural exchange activities after they went back to their own countries.

 

NACTA warmly welcomes visitors, exchange scholars and students from all over the world. we believe the academy offers a unique educational experience combining performance arts, culture and language.

Founded in 1950, the Department of Performing Arts is the first department in China that offers B.A. and M.F.A courses in Xiqu(Chinese Opera) Performing Arts. Several decades have witnessed the Department’s rapid development and its graduates have functioned as backbones in Chinese dramatic troupes.

 

There is a faculty of 7 professors, 8 associate professors and 11 lecturers. Many guest professors and renowned performing artists also teach in the Department. The Department is equipped with many rehearsal classrooms, multi-media classrooms, costume and stage property rooms as well as several theatres. There is also a Xiqu orchestra to accompany rehearsals and performances.

Majors:  Jingju(Beijing Opera) Performing, Kunqu (Kun Opera) Performing and Xiqu Body Training

 

Fields focused on: basic skills training, reportory performing, creating roles and vocal arts.

 

The Department of Music is dedicated to the training of Xiqu musicians. Famous composers, performers and professors from other universities and research institutes from both home and abroad are often invited to give lectures to the students.

 

There are five majors in this department: Xiqu Composition, MIDI Composition, Jingju Instrumental Music, Chinese Folk Instrumental Music, Musicology and Music Education, the former two of which rank as the top in the country. The Department also founded the Xiqu Music Society, a national academic research organization, and frequently hosts seminars in Xiqu music teaching and research.

 

The Department is equipped with 40 piano rooms, 2 rehearsal halls, a MIDI studio, an electronic piano classroom, a multi-media classroom, a recording studio and a small research library.

 

The Department of Directing is aimed at training Xiqu directors and film directors and performers. It, therefore, offers B.A. and M.F.A. courses in Xiqu Stage Directing, Film Directing and Film and Television Performing. There are more than 340 students taught by highly experienced faculty members and some guest professors. Its graduates are actively engaged in China’s theatre and film directing, performing and research areas.

 

The Department is equipped with a rehearsal hall, a non-linear editing center and a modern film studio, where the teachers and students make their own productions, some of which have won national awards.

 

The Department of Dramatic Writing is the only literature department in China that is oriented to Xiqu script writing. Its graduates are actively engaged in China’s literature arena as writers and critics.

 

There are two majors in this department: Xiqu Script Writing and Xiqu Literary Theory. The students also take courses in Chinese and western literature, Chinese and western theatre and film, drama and film script writing, etc. Famous writers and critics from both home and abroad are often invited to five lectures to the students.

 

The Department of Stage Design is one of the three most famous and influential departments of its kind in China. There are seven majors in this department: Xiqu Stage Design, Xiqu Costume Design, Digital Image Design, Lighting Design, Animation Design, Makeup Design and Painting. International scholars and artists are often invited to give lessons to the students.

 

The Department is equipped with an on-line teaching system and excellent teaching facilities, such as a stage design modeling workshop, set design workshop, theatre, gallery, costume design workshop, multi-media classrooms, computer classrooms, fine arts studio, animation film workshop, MAYA animation studio, three-dimensional motion capture system and digital image design workshop.

 

 

The department is dedicated to the training of MA and MFA students in Xiqu and other fields. There are 22 majors: Xiqu Performing, Xiqu Body Training, Xiqu Performing Arts Theory, Xiqu Stage Directing, Xiqu Film Directing, Xiqu Directing and Performing Theory, Music Composition, Xiqu Instrumental Music, Musicology, Stage Design, Multi-media Stage Design, Lighting Design, Costume Design, Xiqu Animation Film, Painting, Art and Design, Xiqu Dramatic Writing, Xiqu Literary Criticism, Xiqu History, Literary Theory, Xiqu Pedagogy as well as Arts Communication and Arts Management.

 

The Department of General Education offers both compulsory and optional courses such as English, Chinese Culture, Chinese Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, Law, Ethics, Philosophy of Art, Xiqu history, Xiqu Studies, Computer Application and Physical Education, to the students of all the departments in the Academy. 

 

The teachers engage themselves actively in academic research and there have been many publications in recent years, some of which are national key textbooks compiled for university students throughout the country. 

 

 

Address: No. 400 Wan Quan Si, Fengtai District