The eyes of audience were glued to the stage all through and thunderous applause erupted at the end of the debut of "Mulan," a Chinese opera, in the Vienna State Opera House.

This is the first time for a made-in-China opera to stage at the famed opera house in the Austrian capital, which is widely considered a sacred arena for musicians from all over the world.

"Mulan is an old Chinese legend, but the opera interprets the legend in a brand new style, which is very successful," said Peter Woells, a local musician who watched the opera.

As Saturday is his wife's birthday, Woells said that watching such "excellent work" with his wife is an "excellent birthday gift" for her.

In a written address, Austrian Culture Minister Claudia Schmied said "Mulan" would significantly enrich the musical life in the Vienna State Opera and Vienna at large. "Mulan" was first staged in Beijing in 2004, and in September of the following year it was performed in New York.

"Mulan" is based on a legendary story about a young girl named Mulan who lived in China some 1,500 years ago. In order to retain the family honor, Mulan replaced her ailing father to join the army in disguise as a gentleman and saved her country from the intruder.