The China Opera and Dance Drama Theater specializes in creating and staging Chinese national and dance operas. The theater was established in January 1950 as the Beijing People's Art Theater and was renamed The Affiliated Opera Company of the Central Drama Institute in 1952, The National Experimental Opera Theater in 1953 and The Chinese Opera Theater in 1964 respectively. The first theater president, the famous writer Li Bozhao, was succeeded by a string of renowned artists: musicians Zhou Weishi, Lu Xiao, Ma Ke; writers Yan Yong, Qiao Yu and composer Liu Wenjin. Its current president is the famous singer Tian Yubin.