Binghamton University is set to host a performance Friday by students from Beijing’s prestigious National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts (NACTA) as part of a promotion for the grand opening of the University’s Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera program.

The performance, which begins at BU’s Osterhout Concert Theater in the Fine Arts Building at 8 p.m., will include both “Beijing opera” (also known as “Peking opera”) and “Kunqu opera” (pronounced Kwin-chu), which are traditional forms of Chinese opera that date back from over 200 and 600 years, respectively.

The NACTA will hold true to the opera’s art form and combine poetry, music, vocal, performance, mime, dance and acrobatics, all with the use of vibrant makeup and costumes.

“All Confucius Institutes aim to promote Chinese language and culture,” said Zu-yan Chen, director of the Institute and professor of Chinese language and literature at BU. “Ours is a special Confucius Institute … we will also promote Chinese opera, music and performing arts.”

The Confucius Institute Headquarters, in Beijing, China, will provide the program at BU with a startup grant which will enable the University to introduce lectures, workshops and activities for students to attend, as well as supply a large selection of books and multimedia resources in support of Chinese culture and arts.

In addition, the NACTA is expected to send five faculty members to BU in fall 2010, including two language teachers, two Beijing opera professors and a Chinese instrumental musician, which will expand the University’s offering of Chinese cultural activities.

“Art always reflects the way people respond to their world, reflect their history and project their belief,” Don Boros, an associate professor of theater at BU, said. Boros helped on the planning boards of the Confucius Institute and has been familiar with the NACTA programs and involvements since 2003.

“The inclusion of Chinese opera — i.e., the arts — stimulates the imagination and helps us find creative ways to communicate, solve problems and share experiences and visions,” Boros added.

The Confucius Institutes were first introduced in 2004 by the Chinese government. These non-profit institutions and the programs involved were created in hopes of encouraging ties in communication, commerce, culture and education.

Since then, there have been 64 Confucius Institutes established in the United States alone, and 500 Confucius Institutes worldwide. Theses institutes include specialties in language and business, traditional Chinese medical science and sports with martial arts.

BU has now added another branch with the introduction of language and the performance arts specializing in Chinese opera.

“Our Confucius Institute will organize the only performance group in the US featuring Chinese opera artists,” Chen said. “This group will perform on campus, in our community and tour other universities.”

In 2001, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) described Kunqu opera as a “masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity.”

“This is a rare opportunity for us to watch Beijing and Kunqu opera in the US,” Chen said. “I would like to encourage students of all backgrounds to attend the celebration and watch the show.”