NEW YORK, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 500 New Yorkers enjoyed a brilliant concert celebrating the Year of the Rat at Carnegie Hall in New York City (NYC) on Friday night.

The sixth annual Spectacular concert, staged in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, featured a diverse roster of artists from China and the United States, including pianists Bi Cong and Michael Fennelly, violinist Deni Bonet, sopranos Chen Quan and Megan Weston, among others, in a combination of classic Western opera, traditional Chinese drama and modern music.

The event also included a performance of Kunqu by artists Shi Jiehua, Cheng Min and Cai Qinglin, who gave local audiences a fresh experience of one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera that integrates acting, singing and stage movement.

One of the highlights of the night came as Chen, a soprano originally from Shanghai, staged the famous piece of "Un Bel di Vedremo" from Giuseppe Giacosa's Madama Butterfly.

A graduate of both the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, Chen told Xinhua that she felt honored to perform at Carnegie Hall to mark the Lunar New Year.

"I believe the beautiful interaction between music from different parts of the world, which could be found between Opera and Kunqu during tonight's show, will promote harmony between countries, ethnics and beliefs," she said.

Co-produced by Harvard Wealth Strategy & Management LLC and Premier Event Management Inc., the annual Spectacular has become a tradition in New York City to celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year.

"We're thrilled to have such a strong and energetic group of new and returning talent," said Charles W. Sullivan, president of Premier Event Management.

He said that the concert features a diverse blend of cultures and musical sounds, which aims to bridge the cultural gap between the Chinese and American peoples.