Once reserved only for emperors and their courtesans, Beijing's traditional opera is a visually rich and mesmerizing art.

For more than 2,000 years, actors have sung about historical stories or legends, while audiences were treated to loud and colorful shows.

Peking Opera is classified as an intangible cultural heritage, and as such many productions are financed by the Ministry of Culture.

Ornately dressed actors sing and recount well-known stories of intrigue within the Han dynasty court, some two-thousand years ago.

Yin Jun, an actor who plays the leading role of Concubine Qi, says the story centers on various plots by the jealous wife of the deceased emperor, Empress Gao, against her husband's favorite concubine.

Yin Jun said, "Obviously the empress was envious and hated the concubine so much that after the death of the emperor, when she was in charge of the whole empire, she began to exert her revenge against her rival."

The sold-out performance at Beijing's Chang An Theater, about the love, hate and schemes within the ancient Chinese court, is just one piece in Peking Opera's repertoire that keeps audiences spellbound.

Accompanied by a cacophony of banging drums and ringing bells, actors sing in characteristically high-pitched voices. While others leap daringly into the air as they perform martial arts moves. Peking Opera has been hailed as a comprehensive showcase of Chinese theatrical arts.

Mou Yuandi, a male Peking Opera performer says the art has an established following, some of whom travel long distances to watch their favorite actors perform on stage.

Mou Yuandi said, "Just like football fans or pop-music fans, there are a large number of opera fans in China. They pay attention to opera news and performance information all the time. If there is a specific show with big name stars, they will show up."

Peking Opera is classified as an intangible cultural heritage, and as such many productions are financed by the Ministry of Culture.

See the youngsters among the audience seats, the age old art form has its ways of staying on the entertainment calendar.

(CCTV.com September 29, 2010)