China National Opera &Dance Drama Theater (CNODDT) gave a classical Chinese opera gala titled "A Night of Enchantment with Selected Chinese Opera Masterpieces" in Australia's Sydney Opera House on Sept 22.

The classical Chinese opera gala was jointly organized by China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG) and Ausfeng Events Group under the flagship cultural brand "Image China".

Those in attendance of the event included Wang Chunsheng, acting Consul General of the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney; Xue Lijun, deputy general-manager of Bauhinia Culture Holdings; Ma Jinhong, deputy Party chief of the CNODDT; Wang Shuyu, cultural counselor of the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney; Liu Dong, director of China Cultural Center in Sydney; Wang Lu, general maanger of the CAEG; Feng Dunping, president of Ausfeng Events Group; Mark Hozna, chairman of Sydney Eisteddfod Arts Competition; and nearly 2,000 audience.

During the first half section of the music concert, performers from the CNODDT presented dozens of songs adapted from classical Chinese poetry and literature, which included "Prelude to Water Melodies: How Long will the Full Moon Appear" by literati Su Shi (1037-1101), melodious tunes such as "the Songs of Yue People", "Farewell", love stories like "Phoenix Hairpin: Reddish Soft Hands" by well-known poet Lu You (1125-1210), "Lavish Zither" by famous poet Li Shangyin (813-858) and "the Lantern Festival Night - to the Tune of Green Jade Table" by prominent poet Xin Qiji (1140-1207), love song "Book of Songs: Cooing and Wooing", and "the Song of Burying the Fallen Flowers" from Chinese classic novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" by Cao Xueqin (1715-1763).

In the second half part of the show, CNODDT singers gave their excerpt performance of classical Chinese opera and dance pieces, which comprised "Tying Red Headbands in the Northern Wind" from "the White-Haired Girl", "Lucid Water and Blue Sky" from "Farmer Erhei Getting Married", "A Ray of Sunshine" from "Lament over the Dead", "Wisteria Flowers", "Golden Autumn Sunshine" and "Cold Snap Piercing Heart", bringing the Australian audience closely to touching Chinese stories.

Julie Lea Goodwin, chief soprano with Sydney Opera House, presented her shows of classical western and Chinese songs "Vilja Lied" and "Jasmine Flowers", adding special elements to the classical Chinese opera gala.

Wang said that the CNODDT show has fully demonstrated rich Chinese cultural heritage and the innovative spirit behind Chinese opera and that the event will further strengthen the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Australia.

Xue introduced that since its establishment in 2009, the flagship cultural brand "Image China" has organized over 30 Chinese artistic delegations with more than 40 high-quality programs to hold about 600 rounds of arts performance in America, European and Oceanian countries. She added that the latest performance has provided the Australian audience with a valuable opportunity to better appreciate the Chinese arts.

Ma said that the music concert is a cultural dialogue beyond the time and space and hoped that splendid Chinese arts and culture will strike a chord with with the Australian audience.

According to the CAEG, the music concert will be held in Hobart Federation Concert Hall and Melbourne Recital Center on September 24 and 26 respectively.