STARRING the Nanjing Peking Opera Troupe, opera comes to The Anvil on Sunday, November 9.

Peking Opera is not like opera in the western sense but rather a spectacular mixture of music, circus, acrobatic fighting and dancing. Involving stylised action, singing, dialogue and mime, it represents a story.

In Peking opera, there are four main types of roles - sheng (male), dan (young female), jing (painted face, male), and chou (clown, male or female). The characters may be loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad.

The repertoire of Peking opera is mainly engaged in fairy tales of preceding dynasties, important historical events, emperors, ministers and generals, geniuses and great beauties, from the ancient times to Yao, Shun, Yu, the spring and autumn period, the warring states period and the dynasties.

Stories of gods and demons from Chinese legend, together with magnificent costumes - most of which are embroidered - and make-up, complete a wonderful evening's entertainment for all the family.

The Peking Opera is a national treasure of China with a long and very colourful history.

Besides carrying out tour performances in the urban and rural areas across China, it has been to Australia, Japan and the United States of America. Wherever it visits, it always earns high acclaim.

Tickets for Peking Opera are priced at £14 and £16.50 and under-16s get £3 off. A family deal is also available for two adults and two children, costing £48 and £58.

The performance begins at 7pm. For tickets, call The Anvil box office on 01256 844244 or log on to www.theanvil.org.uk