After the success of the television competition show Let's Shake It with its star contenders, Dragon TV will launch another reality TV show, Fei Chang You Xi, which shifts from modern dance to traditional Chinese opera.

The show will invite non-opera artists and actors to be contenders and perform operas on the TV competition.

The winners will be decided through judge's marks and audience votes through SMS.

The organizer of the show said the show aims to promote traditional Chinese culture and opera.

A grand premiere ceremony will be aired globally this Friday night on Dragon TV. Chinese opera masters Mei Jiubao and Tan Xiaozeng will attend the premiere. Chinese-American actress Lisa Lu, the only Asian jury member at the Academy Awards, is also expected to perform one classic piece from the Peking opera Ding Jun Shan.

Nowadays, many pop stars and songwriters often find inspiration when adding traditional opera elements into pop songs. This includes A-shin's Peking opera singing-style One Night in Beijing, Wang Leehom's Kun opera-styled Zai Mei Bian and Jay Chou's Huo Yuan Jia with a Peking Opera female voice.

Celebrities confirmed to attend the show conclude Taiwan singer Jeff Chang, artist Wang Gang and folk song singer Yin Xiumei. The organizer said that they are still talking with the biggest names in the business, including like Jay Chou and David Tao, who have both adapted opera elements into their pop hits.

The poster for Dragon TV's new television competition show Fei Chang You Xi, which will kick off this Friday. 

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)