Peking Opera kicks off Italy's celebration for 10th anniversary of Confucius Institute worldwide

The show, performed by the Shanghai Theatre Academy, offered a selection of original plays, such as "The Goddess of Heaven Scatters Flowers," "Red Mulberry Town," and "The Monkey King wreaks Havoc in Heaven" from the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West.

The different types of Peking Opera characters were introduced to the audience, and people were also invited to join on stage, after or before each selected scene, to try and perform a little of the actors' singing or acrobatics, to mimic their facial expressions or reproduce their elaborate movements drawn from martial arts.

Nine-year-olds Francesco and Emma, for example, looked very proud of their own efforts after trying to mimic a combat scene of the "Crossroads" drama, where two male characters were involved in a silent fight in the dark.

"It was not easy, but I had fun in doing it," Francesco said.

"I also liked the scene with the monkey king, and the other drama where a judge discusses with a woman about the destiny of her child, who is sentenced to death. Most of all I liked all those colors," he explained.

"I liked the colorful costumes as well, and I enjoy much the story with the fairy who scatters flowers," Emma added.

However, the little girl admitted she found the peculiar tunes of Peking Opera lyrics a little strange to listen to.

Diego Facchinetti, who came all the way from the northern city of Bergamo, agreed with the younger spectator.

"Some vocal and instrumental sonorities were very strange, different to those we are used to. Yet, this added fascination to the show," Facchinetti explained to Xinhua.

"The show had a remarkable impact on me, actually. I really found it a comprehensive performance, and an amusing one. The scene with the two characters fighting in pitch dark for example was very pleasant to watch," he added.