A news conference for the 13th Wuzhen Theatre Festival is held on Aug 11. [Photo/Tide News]

The 13th Wuzhen Theatre Festival will present 25 productions from 10 countries in the ancient water town of Tongxiang, a county-level city in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, from Oct 15 to 25.

The festival, themed "Serene Transcendence," symbolizes a peaceful mind and lofty aspirations. It will feature 71 performances across 12 theaters over 11 days. The lineup includes 11 international productions from countries including Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, and Austria, two China-international co-productions, and 12 Chinese productions.

The opening production will be The Wild Duck, directed by German theater director Thomas Ostermeier and performed by Berlin's Schaubuhne. First staged at the 2025 Festival d'Avignon, this adaptation explores family conflict, truth and deception, and the tension between ideals and reality.

The festival will also feature a youth competition, the Wuzhen Carnival, town dialogues, readings, and a theater market. The carnival will transform public spaces throughout Wuzhen's Xizha area into stages, hosting over 1,000 street performances, while collaborations with Universal Beijing Resort and Pop Mart will add special programs.

Tickets for the invited productions will go on sale in two rounds, on Aug 22 and Sept 5 via Damai, with an average ticket price below 350 yuan ($51.88).