Twenty foreign singers and six Chinese signers gave a modern operatic performance in Chinese at the National Center for the Performing Arts, near Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Thursday.

The event was organized by the Confucius Institute, an organization that offers classes on Chinese language and culture throughout the world.

They gave the performance after a month-long series of lectures, held at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. They were taught how to perform modern operatic works that are based on old Chinese stories. The 20 young foreign signers come from eight countries, including the United States, Italy, Canada and Brazil.