Pyongyang, October 27 (KCNA) -- The Phibada Opera Troupe is making a performance tour of China with the opera "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai".

The opera, created by the troupe, is based on the Chinese folk tale criticizing the feudal status and marriage systems through the tragic love between an aristocrat's daughter and a scholar's son.

The art exchange between the DPRK and China has a long history.

The operas "The Flower Girl" and "A Dream of Red Mansions" serve as a symbol of the bilateral friendly relations.

"The Flower Girl" was written by President Kim Il Sung in the period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and created as a revolutionary opera under the energetic guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

The opera was performed in China in Juche 62 (1973) and again in 1998, enjoying a great popularity.

After ten years, the opera was good box office for the third time in China, highlighted by mass media.

The theme song of the opera is still popular among Chinese people.

The Chinese classic story "A Dream of Red Mansions" is well known to the Korean people.

When visiting China in 1961, President Kim Il Sung enjoyed a drama based on the story together with Chinese leaders and invited its performers to play it in the DPRK.

Later, he suggested adapting the story to a classic opera in Korea for the development of the traditional friendship between the DPRK and Chinese people.

The classical opera "A Dream of Red Mansions" was performed in Pyongyang in 1962.

After nearly half a century, leader Kim Jong Il guided the classical opera to be recreated as required by the new century, adding significance to the year 2009 marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and China.

The new opera was performed successfully in both Korea and China.