NCPA holding week-long event for student performers

China's National Center for the Performing Arts is currently hosting a week-long event dedicated to young performers from various art schools. A group of Peking Opera students have taken to the stage on opening night.

Centuries-old Peking Opera, performed by the young. The show is called "Imperial Concubine Yang" and has been adapted from an ancient song and dance drama. It is a classic piece of Peking Opera repertoire, famous in part for interpretations by late maestro Mei Lanfang, who often played the lead character.

This time around the classic work is revived by a group of young performers from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts.

"It's a magnificent platform to improve our craft and get more stage experience. Here, we perform for audiences from different walks of life and work with some of the most established artists in the country, from whom we can learn so much," said Zhou Xiaomeng, a student at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts.

They are sharing the stage with master performers like Yu Kuizhi, artistic director and vice president of the China National Peking Opera Company. "I wish I would have had such opportunities when I was young, so I'm truly happy for the young performers. I hope they appreciate every minute of it and use it to improve their skills," Yu said.

The Performing Week for young artists has been an annual event at the NCPA since 2008. This year's edition runs until November 13th.

During the event, students from nice art schools, including the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, the Beijing Dance Academy and Brigham Young University, will all take to the stage.