An exhibition commemorating the 400th anniversary of the deaths of William Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu opens this Friday at the University of Malta.

Dialogue Across Time and Space showcases both of their legacies to world literature, through a comparison of their works and social and cultural backgrounds. The exhibition seeks to appreciate Shakespeare’s and Xianzu’s contribution to later generations as well as to exhibit Chinese aesthetics and culture through a contemporary perspective.

The connection between Eastern and Western theatre highlights the creative wonders of a boundless world. In the late 1500s and early 1600s, Xianzu and Shakespeare reached the zenith of theatre on opposite sides of the world, simultaneously. Their works, vivid epitomes of society and culture at that time, are worthy of incessant exploration and cultivation.

Theatre legends William Shakespeare (right) and Tang Xianzu died 400 years ago.

Xianzu lived in an era when the Ming Dynasty started to decline from its prosperous peak. It was a time of economic affluence in parallel with political intricacy. Imperial power was stronger than ever and the sprouts of capitalism began to emerge, encouraging advanced ideas of enlightenment. Novels, opera and other popular literature enjoyed unprecedented prosperity at the time. Chinese theatre also witnessed its second boom in history.

This exhibition, based on the outcomes of parallel and cross-cultural studies at home and abroad, explores the life experiences and literary achievements of these two masters, allowing visitors to understand the similarities and differences between the Eastern and Western theatrical cultures.

■ The exhibition, organised by the China Cultural Centre, opens on Friday and runs until October 24 at the main library of the University of Malta in Tal-Qroqq. Entrance is free. Opening hours are from 9am to 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 9am to 12.15pm on Saturday.