Peng took the role of Mulan, the heroine of a Chinese folk tale depicted in “Mulan Psalm,” an opera about a young woman who disguises herself as a man to take the place of her ailing father in the army. For several decades, she starred in the nation’s annual New Year’s television extravaganza, where she wore boldly hued gowns with well-fitted bodices and flouncy skirts.

She soon emerged as a talented singer with a voice suited to folk tales and operatic scores that heralded the bravery of China’s soldiers. The New York Times explains that Peng’s music career began when she joined the People’s Liberation Army at age 18: There have been comparisons to Michelle Obama Peng is “modern, outgoing, intrigued by fashion.” She’s also a diplomat with a focus on public health and AIDS, and a musical-theatrical propaganda singer famous for her performances in state-sponsored shows.

China’s “ glamorous, fashionable” new first lady Peng Liyuan is on her first official trip abroad with husband President Xi Jinping, visiting Russia and several African nations.

Chinese opera singer