by Xinhua Writers Wang Hongbin, Zhu Dongyang
HOUSTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese cultural performancefeaturing exclusively Peking Opera was staged in the U.S. city ofHouston on Sunday to celebrate the Spring Festival, or the ChineseLunar New Year.
Over 1,000 home-sick overseas Chinese as well as Chineseculture-loving natives flocked to the Cullen Performance Hall atthe University of Houston for the show. Many of them are ferventfans of Peking Opera while others have never heard a linebefore.
Cindy Bond, 57, a VIP guest, told Xinhua before the opening ofthe show that she was expecting to gain all her knowledge of PekingOpera from the show as she virtually had no idea about what shewould see on stage.
"I come here to learn more about China," she said.
Jiang Shouying, 80, who lived in Beijing before emigrating tothe United States, is apparently a long-time fan. Wearing a redchi-pao, the elegant lady could not hide her excitement before a TVcamera. "I have waited for this for a long time," Jiangexclaimed.
Indeed, it was not the first time that the gala, named "Culturesof China, Festival of Spring," has been put on stage in Houston.But it was the first one featuring exclusively Peking Opera inrecent years.
In her opening remarks, U.S. congresswoman Sheila Jackson Leehailed Peking Opera as the very highest form of Chinese art, which"everyone should see."
Asked whether she worried some English-speaking spectators mayget lost in the sophisticated art, she quipped, "Beauty isuniversal."
Lee was proved right. Since the start of the three-hour-longgala, cheers and applause never ceased. With the help of aprojector, the audience was able to read theotherwise-hard-to-catch lines in both Chinese and English.
The audience laughed heartily when the real and fake MonkeyKings, an all-time favorite character in the renowned "Journey tothe West," were competing to validate their identity. They sharedwith Yu Ji's sorrow when the beloved concubine of Xiang Yu dancedfor the hero the last dance before slitting her own throat.
The authentic singing and exquisite gesture together with folkmusic contributed to the vibes of festivity and merriment at theCullen Hall. Few left the room before some 30 top-tier artists fromdifferent schools and genres of Peking Opera performed more than adozen classic selections.
Dignitaries including Chinese Consul General in Houston LiQiangmin also watched the show and extended their new year wishesto the audience.
Sunday night's gala was sponsored by the Overseas ChineseAffairs Office of the State Council of China and organized by itsBeijing branch and the Chinese Civic Center in Houston.
The annual show, often touring across the United States andEurope, is aimed at enriching overseas Chinese' lives during thelunar new year and promoting Chinese culture worldwide.
After Houston, the show will also be staged in Atlanta, Detroit,Los Angeles and San Francisco. Enditem
