May First, the National Ballet Troupe debuted its new work, "Peony Pavilion". Renowned composer Guo Wenjing wrote the music. The company commissioned the work, believing Guo could add new vitality to the ancient Chinese classic. Guo Wenjing has also earned praise from foreign critics. He has earned his acclaim whilst remaining in China and unlike many other successful composers, he has not lived many years abroad.

The ballet "Peony Pavilion" is a new work for the National Ballet Troupe. Guo Wenjing wrote the score to give the music for the ancient Chinese classic, a modern quality.

Guo said, "People think my music rude, dramatic, dark, tragic, even barbaric. They say it has tension. I was born in Sichuan, in Chongqing and grew up in mountainous areas by the Yangtze river. But now I think even if I were born in the refined cities of east China, Suzhou, Yangzhou and Shanghai, my music would still be like this. I think the style of one's music comes from his character and his blood."

In 1994, Guo Wenjing went to the Netherlands to direct his opera "Diary of a Madman". The piece was a free adaptation of Lu Xun's well-known short novel. He asked western cast members to wear long robes (like Chinese wore over one hundred years ago). He asked them to sing in Chinese. The work was praised. Its portrayal of madness was compared to other great works on a similar theme. The opera was adapted into eight different versions around the world. Guo's reputation as one of the foremost innovators of classical music was established.