A new festival aims to use technology to assist performances and set design, Chen Nan reports.

The sphinx, one of the most enduring symbols of Ancient Egypt, is a mythical creature that has intrigued and inspired human imagination for thousands of years.

The symbol of mystery has been used in naming the Sphinx Metaverse Theatre Festival, which will run from April 15 to May 7. Sixty-five theatrical works will be featured in the festival, which will be staged both in theaters in the country and online.

"We call it 'sphinx' because the festival is all about imagination. It's one of the first of its kind in China, which will combine theater with the latest technology based on the concept of metaverse, which is a shared virtual environment that people access via the internet," says Liu Chang, supervisor of the festival, who is also a theater director.

Technology has increased the capabilities of theater in many ways, from set design to performances. What artists like Liu want to see is "how these new mediums can take the art form to the future".

Supported by technology, the festival will be held in several Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, as well as cities outside China, such as New York, Paris and Berlin. It will also involve 17 top technology companies that offer support to artists, helping them fulfill their ideas, Liu says, adding that technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual human hosts and performers will be used.