DPRK troupe ends China opera tour

A troupe of more than 200 artists from the Democratic People"s Republic of Korea staged their final performance of the Chinese opera classic -- "A Dream of the Red Mansions" -- on Sunday in Dalian, northeast China"s Liaoning Province, bringing to an end their two-month China tour.

The DPRK cast from the Phibada Opera Troupe told the classic Chinese love story while performing Korean folk songs, winning applause from more than 46,000 people in audiences in 12 Chinese cities during the past two months.

The 160-minute opera is an adaptation of the Chinese classical novel. Written by Cao Xueqin in the Qing Dynasty during the 18th century, the novel depicts the life and declining fortunes of a large feudal family.

The show was first performed in Korean 50 years ago, said Kim Il Huang, the leading actor whose grandfather played the same role in the first version of the opera.

"I am really honored to play grandfather"s role 50 years later. I wish the Korea-styled Chinese story can pass on the friendship between the two countries," he said.

The opera has been made into a DVD and issued in the DPRK, said Jon Un Gyong, the director of the play.

"We have plans to perform more Chinese operas. "The Butterfly Lovers" is already on the schedule, but for now I can not say when the opera will be brought to audiences," he said.

"The Butterfly Lovers" is a Chinese legend telling a tragic love story and is often regarded as the Chinese equivalent of Romeo and Juliet.