To many, Peking opera is a traditional Chinese art form that's becoming outdated. However, one Chinese performer, begs to differ. She's trying to give the centuries-old tradition a modern make-over. And, audiences are applauding. CGTN's May Lee has more.

A quiet suburban home in Los Angeles is the last place you would think to find vibrantly dressed young kung fu artists honing their craft and one of China's most famous Peking Opera stars rehearsing but this is your lucky day.

Chu Lanlan is getting ready to perform her distinct, more contemporary style of Peking Opera that she first created in 2003 to breathe new life into a tradition that was losing interest. Lanlan equates the difference between her new method and old Peking Opera to a chair.

CHU LANLAN PEKING OPERA ARTIST "Traditional Peking Opera is like a Mahogany chair, a Chinese relic. You may not feel comfortable when you sit on it. But you appreciate it and want to preserve it. New Peking Opera, you also feel comfortable when you sit down, but we add padding and back support as well as western style decoration so it has a more "new era" feel. This is the most important part new content and a new style of presentation."

Chu Lanlan was inspired to revamp Peking Opera after noticing audience interest fading. So she introduced the unique new style at a contest in 2005.

CHU LANLAN PEKING OPERA ARTIST "Many asked questions like Did this actress come on the wrong stage? How come she's performing Cantonese Opera but not Peking Opera? This is not Peking Opera. This is Cantonese Opera. In the end, I received both the highest and lowest scores from judges. Some experts said we need this kind of innovation. I was the only one who performed new Peking Opera so I was bold. Most people are afraid of jumping out of the box. I did it and it was risky, but eventually, I was rewarded."

Since she took the initial leap with the new Peking Opera, Chu Lanlan has become one of China's brightest most popular opera stars. Last year, she performed for US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Forbidden City.

She just recently performed in Los Angeles and is planning to return to the US for a much bigger and grander tour. Chu Lanlan's hope is to help keep the new Peking Opera at the forefront of Chinese culture by introducing it to more audiences worldwide. May Lee, CGTN, Los Angeles.