Zhang Jiachun from the China National Peking Opera Company portrays the princess Turandot in the Sino-Italian coproduction, which will be staged in Italy from Feb 1 to 10. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The 30-year-old's mother worked as a Peking Opera actress. So, Guo has learned the art form since a young age and decided to make it a lifelong career by the time she was 11 years old. A year later, when Guo came to Beijing from her hometown, Jiangsu province's Xuzhou, she enrolled in the middle school affiliated with the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts.

Guo earned her master's degree at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts later.

"I played the role of Mu Guiying when I was in school. As I grew up, I had a different understanding of the role. The character is more than brave and strong. As a mother and a daughter, she is also soft and sweet," Guo says, adding that it will be her first time to leave her family and perform abroad during Spring Festival.

"Of all my experiences of performing the role, this time in Portugal will be special to me."

The troupe will showcase extracts from Peking Opera pieces, such as At the Cross Roads and Farewell My Concubine, during the company's visit to Portugal in February.

Yi Ling from the China National Peking Opera Company's foreign affairs office says that giving performances of Peking Opera-which was declared a form of intangible culture of humanity by UNESCO in 2010-at home and abroad during Spring Festival has become a tradition.

Peking Opera performers from veterans to young artists will participate this year in the Happy Chinese New Year project, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Veteran Peking Opera artists, including Li Shengsu and Yu Kuizhi, will perform in the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Yi says the programs aim to help Western audiences get a more comprehensive understanding of Peking Opera-not just the captivating martial arts but also the elaborate makeup and costumes.

"The ancient art form shows traditional Chinese values, such as loyalty, modesty and honesty," Yi adds.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn