An evening of contemporary Irish culture: St Brigid's Day in Beijing

In celebration of St Brigid’s Day 2026, the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing hosted a cultural event exploring contemporary Irish women’s voices through opera, literature and music.

Intertwined stories and shared connections

The evening centred on a screening of A Thing I Cannot Name, an opera film commissioned by Irish National Opera, composed by Amanda Feery with a libretto by Megan Nolan. Through the intertwined stories of three women, the work explores themes of female desire, identity and autonomy.

The screening was followed by a discussion between Amanda Feery and Chinese musician Haining (Helen) Feng, whose background spanning indie rock, musical theatre and opera created a dialogue between Irish and Chinese artistic perspectives.

The conversation focused on how women artists use different creative forms — including storytelling, music and performance — to express personal and socially resonant experiences.

Literary creator Wuya Li documenting

To bring the event to a wider audience, Beijing-based literary influencer and cultural content creator Wuya (raven) Li was invited to document the evening through a video vlog shared across major Chinese social media platforms.

Her video introduced viewers to St Brigid’s Day, contemporary Irish opera and literature, and broader conversations surrounding women’s voices in Ireland today.

The strong online engagement with the video reflects growing interest among younger Chinese audiences in contemporary Irish culture, particularly works engaging with themes of female identity and gender equality.

Through digital platforms and cultural exchange, events such as this help foster new connections between Irish and Chinese audiences beyond more traditional perceptions of Irish culture.