The opera is adapted from a famous Chinese folk legend dealing with the story about the tragic love between Zhu Yingtai, the only daughter of an influential family, and Liang Shanbo, a son of an ordinary literary man's family, which has been handed down for more than 1600 years since about the fourth century A.D.

The peculiar performance was acclaimed by the audience as it fully met the need of the original work and ensured a high level of artistry.

At the end of the performance Kim Jong Il warmly waved back to the enthusiastically cheering performers and audience, congratulating the artistes on their successful performance.

He highly appreciated the success made by the creators and artistes in their creative work and extended thanks to them, expressing satisfaction over the fact that they created another splendid opera in a matter of less than one year by displaying wisdom and enthusiasm.

The opera is a great masterpiece as all its elements ranging from songs to stage decor and costumes reached a high artistic level, he said, adding that this laudable success made by the Phibada Opera Troupe is the brilliant fruition of the extraordinary mental power of the Korean revolutionary artistes and the original creative method of Korean style.

Noting that new artistes and students of the conservatoire satisfactorily performed their roles in the opera with high artistry, he stressed that the future of the Juche-oriented art is immensely bright and rosy as the country has a lot of such reliable reserve artistes.

It is very gratifying that the Phibada Opera Troupe completed another piece of opera with the sincere help of Chinese comrades at a time when the 60th anniversary of the entry of the Chinese People's Volunteers into the Korean front is being observed, he said, emphasizing that it is the invariable will of the WPK and the people to further consolidate and develop the DPRK-China friendship.

Noting that cultural exchange plays an important role in deepening the understanding and developing friendly and cooperative relations among countries, he expressed expectation and belief that the art organizations including the Phibada Opera Troupe would create and perform more works conducive to defending the peace and security of the world and accomplishing the human cause of independence.

　Among the audience were Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok and Hong Sok Hyong, members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the C.C., the WPK, Kim Kyong Hui, member of the Political Bureau and department director of the C.C., the WPK, Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the WPK and vice-premier, Jang Song Thaek, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the WPK and vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, Kim Yang Gon, Kim Yong Il, Pak To Chun, Choe Ryong Hae, Thae Jong Su and Kim Phyong Hae, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the C.C., the WPK, and officials in the fields of literature and arts and media.