To celebrate its one year anniversary, the National Center for the Performing Arts of China will present a stunning Peking Opera to be broadcast in Times Square, New York on Monday at 7 p.m..

Projected across eight screens in the south end of Times Square, known as the "Crossroads of the World," the 45-minute program will feature "Red Cliff," an epic historical opera, starring China's top classical musicians, according to a new release obtained by Xinhua.

Continuing the NCPA's philosophy of fostering the Chinese national arts, "Red Cliff" is a romantic, sweeping opera famously known throughout China as a timeless Peking Opera classic. Since its premiere on December 22, 2008, Red Cliff has received critical acclaim as "a diamond on the crown of Peking Opera," with consecutive sold-out performances.

The opera is directed by Zhang Jigang, the director of the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Like the Olympic ceremonies, this exquisite opera is another massive production of Chinese mastery -- comprising the talents of 130 actors and actresses from six major Chinese Peking Opera troupes, in a colorful and sumptuous performance featuring silk embroidered costumes and cutting-edge stage technology.

Also, as part of the 45-minute program, the broadcast features a special introduction to the new National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. Performed in the NCPA's incredible complex, the venue boasts a lush, dazzling interior, sophisticated acoustics and mechanical wizardry that rival any hall in Europe or the United States.

Viewers will have a chance to see an incredible feat of architecture in the form of a giant futuristic glass and titanium dome, which gleams above a large reflecting pool. The shimmering setting provides a breathtaking backdrop for the operatic performance, says the press release.

Peking Opera is the most representative traditional art of China and this broadcast is a rare opportunity to witness the virtuosity and precision of China's ancient arts projected above the lights and glitter of Times Square.

The broadcast can be seen on multiple screens covering the south end of Times Square on the Panasonic Astrovision, the 7-stories-tall NASDAQ, and 5 Reuters high-definition screens.

Over the past year since its opening, the NCPA has hosted nearly 30,000 world-class artists from China and abroad, including Valery Gergiev, Seiji Ozawa, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Gustavo Dudamel and Christoph von Dohnányi; as well as over 200 performing entities, such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra, The Kirov Ballet, The Royal Ballet and Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris.

This event is sponsored by the New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2009)