Thunderous applause greeted the debut of Mulan, a Chinese opera, at the Vienna State Opera House on Saturday.

This is the first time a made-in-China opera has been staged at the famed opera house in the Austrian capital.

Mulan was first staged in Beijing in 2004, and in September the following year it was performed in New York.

Mulan is based on a legendary story about a young girl named Mulan who lived in China some 1,500 years ago. For the sake of family honor, she replaced her ailing father in the army, disguised as a man, and saved her country from its attackers.

The show combined symphony music, theater and dance with elements of China's folk music, traditional costumes and martial arts.

Peng Liyuan (pictured left), a celebrated Chinese folk singer, played Mulan, while internationally renowned tenor Dai Yuqiang (right) took the role of General Liu Shuang. The prestigious Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Imperial Philharmonic Choir provided the musical and vocal accompaniment.

China Daily-Xinhua-Agencies

(China Daily 09/02/2008 page18)