Zhang Huoding(L) performs The Legend of the White Snake at Lincoln Center in New York on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Vena Harwilchuk said the type of roles and the way they are portrayed are what interest her most about Peking Opera. "Every person in the cast can sing, dance and perform martial arts. They can do everything. You can see the level of commitment and dedication that it would take. Everything is on the stage," she said.

While The Legend of the White Snake attracted both Chinese and American attendees, the audience for the Jewelry Pouch was mostly Chinese.

Lin Bo drove from New Jersey so that her 6-year-old daughter could see Zhang's show. She said her own mother got her interested in Peking Opera, and she hoped her daughter also would be interested.

"In the US, there is little chance to see the finest of Chinese traditional arts," said Bo, who has been in the United States for 15 years. "The high-level shows of Chinese traditions will not only pass on the legacy to our Chinese living here but also deepen the understanding of Americans of Chinese and China."

The US shows concluded on Thursday, and the opera moved to Toronto on Sunday.

lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn