The original musical titled Flying Apsaras is staged in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, on Sept 5. [Photo/gscn.com.cn]

The original musical titled Flying Apsaras was staged in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, on Sept 5, as an important show to mark the 6th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, which will run from Sept 6 to 7.

The musical is inspired by the flying apsaras, celestial singers and dancers of the Mogao Grottoes' murals. It pays tribute to generations of protectors who have devoted themselves to preserving the Dunhuang frescoes, presenting a wish for world peace.

Musicians of the China Oriental Performing Arts Group presented 14 songs during the musical. The songs, aside from using traditional Chinese music, integrated elements of music from the West and Central Asia, to represent the role of Dunhuang in cultural exchanges.

Li Dun, the producer of "Flying Apsaras", said that Dunhuang is a place where Eastern and Western civilizations blend and is a model of peace and prosperity. According to him, the concert, with opera, folk music and mural elements all on one stage, is a new expression of the region's all-encompassing culture.