Lunar New Year extravaganza to be staged in LA

Two variety shows celebrating the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year will be staged at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, California on Jan. 17 and 18 in 2020, according to a press conference on Tuesday in Beijing.

The two-day event is titled "2020 Happy Chinese New Year, Charming Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei," and will consist of three segments including a music and dance performance, an exhibition of Chinese New Year paintings, and an exhibition about Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

Artists and craftsmen from Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei will bring their unique folk culture to Beverly Hills, including Peking opera, martial arts, Chinese instrumental music as well as Chinese acrobatics. 

In addition to the theatrics, Chinese paper cutting artworks will be exhibited during the event, and guests attending the VIP session on Jan. 17 will have the opportunity to participate in interactive activities of Chinese tea serving etiquette and paper cutting. 

Julie Wagner, chief executive officer of Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau (BHCVB), recognized the significance of the upcoming event during the press conference. Wagner said that in addition to the business opportunities brought to the Chinese community in Beverly Hills, the event also mattered as it would promote people-to-people exchanges despite the ongoing trade disputes between China and the U.S.

Wagner noted that BHCVB was glad to once again host the event celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year so that more Americans could get a taste of China.

"This time, we will bring Chinese New Year paintings and paper cutting, instead of pictures and photographs, to display the atmosphere of lunar new year," said Xiao Junfeng, director of the Liaison Department of Information Office of Beijing Municipal Government, speaking on the highlights of the event.

As the upcoming event marks the ninth time Beverly Hills has celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year, Xiao elaborated on the achievements made over the years.

"The event shows our renewed commitment to promoting China's global communication through both traditional and contemporary cultures. It also displays our improved capacity for engaging in regional cultural exchange, which gets bigger every year," Xiao added.

The event will be co-hosted by BHCVB and information offices of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.