China's national cultural gala, the Fourth Annual Meet in Beijing Festival, opened in the Great Hall of the People Tuesday to the accompaniment of the wildly popular melodies of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

Cats has been staged over 9,000 times for an audience of 65 million worldwide, but this was its first appearance in Beijing.

This heavyweight performance is just one of the 100 to be given during the month-long festival. More than 30 foreign and 10 Chinese troupes will entertain audiences in the Chinese capital, said an official with the Ministry of Culture (MOC).

In addition to Cats, the arts of Africa and Ireland will be featured during the festival. Russia's Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra and leading soprano Sarah Brightman are also scheduled to perform.

According to the MOC, the African project, with 10 troupes and seven governmental delegations from Africa attending, will give outdoor performances in a number of parks around Beijing, and three art exhibitions.

Chinese troupes, not to be outdone during this prestigious event, will unveil their newest works, ranging from song and dance to Peking Opera and spoken dramas.

The annual cultural extravaganza, first held in 2000, has so far hosted more than 100 artistic troupes and exhibitions from all over the world.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2004)